I Will Remember You
by MuffinLove03
Summary: After a tragic accident, more than one of Helga's secrets is at risk for being revealed.
1. Chapter 1

**[A/N: Hey guys! I just wanted to say this story takes place in the sixth grade and assumes Helga never confessed her secret to Arnold on the FTi rooftop. So, basically just pretend the Hey Arnold movie never happened and then age them up a bit. Here ya go! Tell me what you think! I won't be able to update too often but I'm eager to write another story!**

**Oh, and I don't own anything having to do with Hey Arnold! :)]**

"Move it, Football-head!"

Helga's caustic voice was no stranger to Arnold's ears as she stomped down the hallway of PS. 118, slamming his locker as she passed him.

Arnold narrowed his eyes at his classmate as she walked away, turning a corner and disappearing from sight.

"Man, she really hates you, Arnold," Gerald commented, shutting his own locker.

Arnold just answered with an irritated sigh, turning the knob on the combination lock to re-open his locker. "Uh-huh…"

"Seriously, though. She's always so nasty to you, out of everyone in our class. I just don't get it,"

Arnold pulled his textbook out of the locker and shut it once again. "I dunno, Gerald," Arnold's sighed again in resignation. "I just don't know."

. . . . . . . .

Arnold and his friends were in the sixth grade: their last year at PS. 118. It felt good to finally be on top but at the same time, everyone hadn't changed very much, especially when it came to Helga and her bullying. Arnold just couldn't figure out why after all these years, she _still_ had to pick on him so much. She never tormented anyone else the way she did him and he just didn't get it. He knew that deep down she was a good person. He couldn't help but see the good in everyone and that included Helga G. Pataki. Sure, she was pretty rough around the edges but at the same time, he knew that there had been a few times she'd slipped up and let her guard down around him. Knowing that there was something more to her, even if he didn't know exactly what it was, gave him the strength to be patient with her.

On the other hand, Helga was in the same state of affairs she'd be in in the fourth grade. Her love for Arnold consumed a great deal of her thoughts, time, and energy. She'd finally admitted to Phoebe, in private, that she had feelings for Arnold. Of course, they'd always shared a certain unspoken understanding but Helga and Phoebe had talked a lot over the summer break before sixth grade, sharing very personal secrets with one another. It was then that Helga found out about Phoebe's feelings for Gerald. She'd always had a feeling that there was some sort of spark between the two but if Phoebe was willing to not press Helga about her love interest, Helga would do the same for her friend.

Phoebe and Gerald had coincidentally ended up at the same summer camp over break as assistant camp counselors to first and second graders. Seeing each other every day and working together to help organize activities for the little kids only fueled the spark between them. Initially, Gerald hadn't wanted to go to the summer camp but his mom had insisted on his participation since his little sister Timberly would be in attendance. She _was_ going to be a first grader that fall, after all, and Gerald's mom thought it would be sweet if her big brother helped her transition. Phoebe had seen the opportunity to teach younger kids about field science as an invigorating challenge that had yet to be undertaken and so she volunteered willingly. When each of them realized the other was going to be an assistant camp counselor, it made the idea of spending half the summer in the woods a little more worthwhile.

. . . . . . . .

_Why must I be so cruel? Why can't I show my softer, gentler side?_ Helga chided herself in her head as she sat in class, gazing dreamily at the back of Arnold's football-shaped head. _Oh Arnold, if only you knew my true feelings for you. If only I wasn't such a gutless buffoon and could finally get up the nerve to tell you how I worship and adore you… if only…_

All the while, Helga was rolling small pieces of paper in her hand, chewing them briefly and torpedoing them into Arnold's unruly blonde hair as spitballs.

With each impact, Arnold glared in Helga's direction, though he never turned around.

_If I ignore her, maybe she'll stop._

He wasn't so lucky. By the end of class, Arnold stood up and shook his head, releasing at least a dozen spitballs. Looking at the dried spitballs on the floor, he rolled his eyes before grabbing his books and leaving the room.

Arnold waited outside the classroom for Gerald, who'd been caught up talking to Phoebe. He sighed impatiently at the clock. _Come on, Gerald…_

"Yeah, yeah!... I'll um… I'll talk to you later…" Gerald called back behind him as he came out of the classroom, a goofy grin on his face.

"So are we still going to Slausen's?" Arnold asked.

"Yeah, man. Free Friday ice cream _and_ its Sid's birthday. How could we pass that up, I mean _really_, Arnold…" Gerald tilted his head down as he looked at Arnold, emphasizing how unnecessary the question had been.

"Alright, well then we need to hurry up and get there soon before Sid does. If he sees any of us heading over there, he's going to figure out what's going on!" Arnold hurried Gerald down the hall, passing by Helga and Phoebe at their lockers.

Helga scowled at the two as they came into view. "Well if it isn't Football-head and Tall-Hair Boy. Where are you two chuckleheads off to in such a hurry?"

Without pausing, Arnold called back to her, "No time, Helga. See ya!"

"Pfft," Helga rolled her eyes, turning to Phoebe and asking rhetorically, "Where's the fire?"

Phoebe's eyes glanced up and down the hallway before she leaned into Helga's ear, "It's Sid's birthday. Everyone's meeting up at Slausen's for his surprise birthday party," Leaning away from her again she added, "Didn't you know?"

Helga rolled her eyes again, a little annoyed that no one had invited her but it didn't bother her too much. It was a free country after all and she could go to Slausen's anytime she pleased. "No,"

"Well, I plan to go and I think you should come. The offer was extended to the entire class, even if you weren't specifically informed. I don't see any reason you couldn't accompany me, Helga," Phoebe smiled at her best friend who returned the expression.

"Yeah sure, Pheebs. I'll go," The two left their lockers and headed for the exit. "What could it hurt?"

. . . . . . . .

"Boy Howdy!"

Sid's timeless exclamation indicated how successful the surprise party idea had been. The whole class had shown up and Sid never saw it coming. His birthday technically wasn't until Saturday but Slausen's had a special going on for the month of October called "Free Ice cream Fridays" for anyone 12 or younger and no kid in their right mind could pass up an opportunity like _that_.

The party continued without a hiccup as each kid ate their fill of ice cream, talking and laughing and having a good time. Of course, Helga was being her usual self: staring at Arnold from across the room as she pretended to be focused on the conversations people tried to have with her.

At one point, Arnold was passing by Helga's table, bowl in hand, to get another serving of ice cream. Helga, sitting on the end of the booth seat, casually stuck her leg out just as Arnold was passing by, sending him flying to the floor with a thud.

Laughter erupted from the nearby tables as Arnold stood up, wiping away melted ice cream from his bowl that had splashed up onto his shirt and face.

"Oooops," Helga mocked. "How _clumsy_ of you!" More laughter.

Arnold glared at her and continued down the aisle to the counter for more ice cream.

On his way back, he leaned close to Helga so that the comment was only between the two of them.

"Ya know Helga," His voice was low as he tried to control his frustration. "After _all_ these years, I would've liked to think that you'd stop being so mean but I guess I was wrong."

He turned away, heading back to his table and leaving Helga to sink down into her seat, feeling ashamed.

"What did he say?" Phoebe asked.

Helga straightened up, putting her front up once again. "Nothing important… I mean, what do I care what some stupid _Football-head_ says anyway?" Helga's defense was weak and Phoebe knew it but didn't push any further. Helga turned her sad frown into a scowl and picked up her spoon, pouring melted ice cream back into the bowl over and over again.

. . . . . . . .

By seven, most of the kids had already left for home. Phoebe's mom had agreed to give Helga a ride back to her house but she wouldn't be there until eight. The only kids who were left in the ice cream parlor were Helga, Phoebe, Gerald, Arnold, and Sid. Arnold and Gerald were waiting for Jamie-O who had called fifteen minutes ago saying he'd be there in ten.

"Thanks so much you guys! I had a great time!" Sid said as he walked out of Slausen's. His dad had arrived to pick him up just as Jamie-O's car had come into view.

Arnold and Gerald followed after him, waiting outside the door as Jamie-O pulled up to the curb.

"What's up squirts?" Jamie-O laughed as Arnold and Gerald climbed into the backseat. A duffle bag with Jamie-O's wrestling gear had claimed the front seat.

Helga stared dreamily out the window as Arnold's car door closed.

"Why can't I just be nice to him, Phoebe?" Helga crossed her arms, laying her head down with her chin resting on her forearm.

"Helga, personally, I don't think that acting a little nicer would reveal your secret. Take into consideration all of the other girls in our class who _don't_ love Arnold. They don't go out of their way to be mean to him and yet Arnold understands that their feelings are platonic," Helga's gaze remained fixed on the napkin dispenser on the table. "Do you understand what I mean, Helga?"

Helga gave Phoebe a sideways look. What she was saying made sense but Helga couldn't wrap her head around the idea of pretending she didn't like Arnold _and_ being nice to him at the same time.

_Easier said than done… _she thought.

_CRASH!_

A sudden, cacophonic sound startled Helga upright. She and Phoebe jumped from their table and ran to the glass door to see what had happened. It was getting dark outside so the light from inside the shop reflected off the glass and they couldn't really see anything. They opened the door and stepped outside.

At the end of the street was an intersection and it appeared that's where the noise had come from. A crumpled brown truck was up on the sidewalk, its front bumper completely smashed. The other vehicle looked like it had sustained more damage. The blue car was on its side on the opposite side of the street and the back door was concave from the collision. Broken pieces of glass littered the road and a number of people had already stopped their cars and gotten out to call paramedics and find out what happened.

Curiosity overtook the girls and they walked down the street to get a closer look. Helga stopped short when something caught her eye. Her heart sank down into her stomach when she noticed the familiar tufts of cornflower yellow hair visible through the busted back window of the car.

"_ARNOLD!_"


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N: Sorry this chapter is a little short but I hope you still like it!]**

The waiting room had the kind of sterile silence that makes you more nervous than you might have been to begin with. Helga, Phoebe, Phoebe's mom, and some of their classmates were waiting anxiously in a hollowed out section of the waiting area. Outside in the hallway, nurses and doctors hurriedly passed by the doorway, whispering incoherent medical jargon to one another. Gerald and Jamie-O's family was sitting with Arnold's grandparents and the boarders in the corner of the waiting area. Helga, Phoebe and Phoebe's mother were on the opposite side along with Sid, Rhonda, Harold, and the rest of the class. Pretty much everyone who had been at Slausen's came as soon as they heard the news.

A drunk driver had run the red light at that intersection, slamming into Jamie-O's car on Arnold's side. Thankfully, the paramedics had arrived quickly and transported all three passengers to Hillwood General Hospital right away.

Helga and Phoebe had stood on the sidewalk, stunned, as they watched the paramedics remove their friends from the car. The world had seemed to stand still as curious onlookers stood back, watching from afar. Neither of the girls had words for what they were witnessing but Helga's face said her every thought. The moment she realized Arnold had been in the accident, she couldn't help but scream his name out of fear and desperation. Her face drained of its color and she felt dizzy but somehow never moved. She felt like her feet had been nailed into the ground, pinning her, so she watched helplessly as her love was lifted onto a stretcher and loaded into the back of the ambulance.

Phoebe was just as distraught. She couldn't quite say she was in _love_ with Gerald the way that Helga felt about Arnold but her feelings for Gerald were affectionate and ever growing. The knowledge that he could be seriously injured was as frightening a possibility as she could imagine.

The waiting area was dimly lit with a random assortment of magazines on every end table. Paintings on the wall did their best to provide an aura of calm in an otherwise nerve-wracking setting. A muted TV was showing news coverage of the accident but most of the group couldn't look. Seeing the overturned car and the silhouettes of the boys on stretchers was too much. Only Phoebe's mother and Grandpa Phil dared to watch.

Phoebe leaned into her mother's embrace, soft tears quietly making their way down her face. Helga sat motionless in her chair, her legs pulled up underneath her as she wrung her hands together. Her face gave no indication of her feelings as she stared intensely at the floor in front of her. The only hint at her emotions could be seen as her chest breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly, shuddering as the air left her body.

The Johannsens huddled together with Gerald's father's arms held protectively around his wife and daughter. Timberly was whimpering into her mother's shirt as Mrs. Johannsen ran her hand consolingly over the back of her daughter's head.

Grandma was at the nurse's station, demanding information, when Grandpa Phil pulled her back into the waiting room. The other kids in the class sat quietly, deep in thought, as they waited to hear from someone – anyone - about their friends.

After what seemed to be an eternity, a doctor wearing sea green scrubs walked into the area, calling the attention of the group.

"They're stable," he began. "Jamie-O and Gerald are awake and alert. Gerald has a broken leg but it's been set and Jamie-O has a moderate concussion. Aside from these injuries and the expected cuts and bruises, both boys will be fine and they should be able to go home tomorrow.

"What about Arnold?" Grandpa asked the question everyone was wondering in their heads.

"His situation is a bit more complicated," the doctor rubbed the space between his eyes. "His injuries were more extensive given his placement in the vehicle. While he _is_ stable, he's in a medically induced coma,"

There were some sharp inhales from the group.

"He sustained a blow to the head that caused a contusion and hemorrhaging in the brain. The resulting pressure began to reach a life-threatening level and emergency surgery to perforate the skull was required to relieve the pressure in his brain. It was successful and he's no longer in any imminent danger but his condition is still critical and he's going to remain in this coma state until his brain has begun to heal and his pressure goes back to normal."

That was a lot to take in. Helga felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest right then and there. She needed to see him. Her disbelief, shock, and despair were overwhelming and she just wanted to see Arnold. However, she was afraid to see him at the same time. What if she broke down? What if she couldn't handle it? Her feelings for Arnold would be pretty obvious the moment she saw him and she knew this.

The doctor told everyone that they could come visit their friends in a few minutes until visiting hours were up but if anyone wanted to come see Arnold, they needed to come right then otherwise they'd need to wait until tomorrow.

Grandpa, Grandma and the boarders followed the doctor back to see Arnold while the Johannsens went in search of Gerald and Jamie-O. The other kids left the waiting room as well, separating in various directions.

Helga felt torn. Her heart was pleading with her to follow Arnold's grandparents to his room in the ICU but she was terrified at the idea of how that would open her up to questioning.

"What do you want to do, Helga?" Phoebe asked, knowing full well what the answer _truly_ was.

Helga rubbed her neck, choosing her words carefully and paying careful attention to make sure her voice didn't crack. "You umm… you go ahead Pheebs. I'm gonna, I mean… I need to be alone… I need to think, okay?"

Phoebe simply nodded and went with her mother to see Gerald and Jamie-O.

With the waiting room now empty, Helga pulled out her locket, gazing at it somberly.

"Oh, accursed fate," she clutched the locket to her chest as she closed her eyes. Pulling the locket back and looking at it once again, "Why my love? Striking down he who is least deserving of such circumstance. How can I bear to see my love in such a condition?" A pause. "And yet, how could I dare not?"

She slipped the locket back into her dress and took a breath. She needed to see Arnold. The situation was serious enough that she didn't need an excuse. If anyone thought to ask, they could chalk it up to her being in a strange mood today… or something. Whatever happened, she needed to see him and that was the only thought coursing through her mind.

Still, she couldn't make her concern blatantly obvious. She casually headed down the hallway toward the ICU entrance. She crept past various rooms before seeing Arnold's family and a few classmates walking out of a door a few paces ahead of her. She stopped and hid behind a gurney until they were out of sight. Straightening up, she looked at the door from which they'd exited. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly through her nose, and gulped before taking the next few steps to the doorway.

Once she got to the glass door, she noticed it was closed and the venetian blinds on the other side were down and closed. It was too late to go in but the blinds covering a small window by the door were still open. Helga's heart raced as she leaned forward, peering through the blinds into the room.

There was so much medical equipment, more than she'd been expecting. A monitor in the corner was keeping track of Arnold's heart rate, blood pressure, and a bunch of other things that Helga could only speculate their meaning. To the left of the room was a large bed. It seemed too big for Arnold's slender boyish frame. It seemed to be swallowing him whole. His eyes were closed and thick white medical bandages were wrapped around his oblong head. There was a needle in his hand, another in his arm, and something that resembled a clothespin stuck on his finger. He looked helpless. He looked so… breakable.

Helga felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She quickly turned away from the window and leaned back against the wall, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor, trying to catch her breath.

Nurses were looking at her but no one said anything. Her reaction was one to be expected.

She couldn't think. The only thing in her mind was the mental image of Arnold in that hospital bed. She felt hot and cold, she felt dizzy and nauseous. The hair on her arms was on end and her heart beat racing and irregular.

She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down without drawing any more attention to herself. The less commotion she caused, the better.

After about ten minutes of sitting on the floor, staring at the base of the nurses' desk, she arose slowly.

"When are visiting hours in here usually?" she asked in a low voice as she approached the counter.

She leaned on the desk, allowing something else to hold her body weight which seemed so heavy all of a sudden.

A nurse with short curly red hair and glasses looked up from her computer at Helga. Helga wasn't making eye contact; instead, she was focusing on the multi-colored synthetic flowers sitting on the edge of the counter.

"You can come back and see him tomorrow between six and nine pm." The nurse answered sweetly. Her voice was compassionate and understanding. The words wafted out of her mouth like a comforting hug but hit a wall when they reached a closed-off Helga.

"Thanks," Helga muttered as she turned and exited through the automatic sliding doors.


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N: Couldn't wait to get this chapter out so I stayed up late! Hope you enjoy it! I'll try to update again as soon as I can]**

Five days had passed since the accident and Arnold was still in a coma. Jamie-O and Gerald had been released as scheduled and despite their injuries, were managing pretty well.

Phoebe was with Gerald every day, assisting him with his lack of mobility. She'd helped him get around school and even stayed with him at his house until she _had_ to go home. Of course Gerald wasn't complaining. Sure, it was frustrating to have a broken leg cramped up in that itchy cast but if that meant he got to spend even more time hanging out with Phoebe… well, he could get used to that.

Thus, Helga had plenty of alone time to spend sneaking into the ICU to see Arnold. For the past five days at six pm sharp she showed up outside of Arnold's hospital room. Arnold always seemed to have someone visiting him, whether it was his grandparents, the boarders, or friends, so Helga made sure to keep out of their sight. As much as she wanted to just sit by his bedside, holding his hand close to her heart, it was too suspicious to be seen in there. As far as everyone knew, she hated Arnold. That is, in a sort of hate-friendship sort of way. It made sense for her to be there on the night of the accident but anything more than that would raise eyebrows.

Little did they know that when she'd finally gone home on the night of the accident, a whirlwind of pent up emotions came flooding out of her as if a dam within her heart had finally reached its capacity and couldn't take the pressure anymore.

She made sure she was in her bedroom with the door locked before she let herself lose control. Falling to the floor on her knees, she sobbed uncontrollably and slammed down on her bedroom floor with her fists. Her tears were coming out profusely, running down her face and down her neck. Her face was red, puffy, and tear-stained. Her sinuses had begun to act up and before she knew it, she could no longer breathe through her nose. It felt like she was choking and when she'd finally run out of energy to carry on, she crawled into her bed and burrowed under the covers. She'd been crying so hard that she was now gasping for air. Pulling the pillow over her head, she let out a painful scream that was only slightly muffled. That final exertion drained what was left in her and she rolled over into a fetal position to sleep as her remaining tears slid down and dropped one by one onto the fabric of her pillow.

Since then she'd crouched behind walls, or underneath the room window, or behind the nurses' station, anything in order to visit Arnold undetected. The nurses gave her funny looks and scowls whenever she hid back there but she didn't pay them any mind. By the time they got around to saying anything to her, she'd already scurried off to her next hiding place, avoiding every group of visitors that entered.

When Arnold had a group in the room, the door was usually closed and that made it easier for Helga to hide. She would duck below the window, peering inside through the blinds. All the while her chest felt like it was burning. She was tearing herself up inside, holding back from expressing how she really felt. Now was definitely not the time to be a coward when it came to her love but she couldn't help herself.

At school, Helga had been covertly collecting Arnold's homework and classwork for him. She'd made their teacher, Mrs. Cohen, swear to secrecy though the unsuspecting educator didn't have the faintest idea why it was such a big deal to her.

Thursday evening Helga was on her way to the hospital once again. She watched as buildings, signs, and people flashed in and out of view from her bus window. She was alone, sitting toward the back, engulfed in her own thoughts.

It had been a while now that Arnold had been in his coma and that didn't seem to be a very good sign. Would he be the same person when he woke up? What if he was totally different? What if he was mean or selfish or rude? Helga didn't want to think about the other question that teased its way around her subconscious. _What if he didn't wake up?_

The bus screeched to a halt outside of the hospital and Helga got off, just as she had done the past few days. She easily found her way through the hospital, following the same routine she'd developed since day one. By a quarter to six, she was sitting in the waiting room with her feet up on a second chair, finishing off the remaining crumbs in an empty bag of cookies from the vending machine.

She wiped her hands together before she stood up, walking over to the trashcan to throw away the plastic bag.

"Come on, Pookie,"

Helga heard the familiar voice of Arnold's grandpa coming from the hallway. His grandparents usually showed up at six o' clock on the dot and today was no exception.

Helga watched them pass the waiting room without noticing her and she stealthily followed them, keeping out of sight with every turn of their heads.

Once they were inside Arnold's room and the door was closed, Helga moved in to take her normal place underneath the window. She slowly pulled herself up by her fingertips, looking through the blinds with only the top of her head above the windowsill.

She couldn't tell if Arnold's grandparents were talking or not but they were sitting together at the edge of Arnold's bed. Grandpa Phil had an arm wrapped around Grandma while she held Arnold's hand and adjusted his blanket.

Helga found herself in a daze. The whole situation seemed surreal. How could she _actually_ be sitting outside of Arnold's hospital room, the room in which he was lying unconscious and injured and helpless? How could this have even happened? Why Arnold? And why didn't she have the guts to walk in there and be with him?

_I probably could, actually… I mean, he's unconscious. He wouldn't even know I was there. But that's still impossible if he's never alone…_

Helga was startled out of her thoughts when she heard shuffling coming from inside the room. Arnold's grandparents were getting ready to come out! Visiting hours were until nine and it was only seven-thirty so Helga had been expecting them to be in there a while longer.

She scrambled away from the doorway and hid behind a wall, peeking around it to see what was going on.

"How are you two doing?" a nurse asked the couple gently.

"We're okay," Grandpa answered. "Any news on the boy?"

"We're just waiting for him now. His vital signs have remained stable and everything in his charts appears normal. I'm sorry but right now it's just a waiting game," the nurse was sympathetic and patted Grandma on the shoulder.

Grandpa and Grandma just sighed. That was the same thing the doctors told them yesterday.

"Ya know," the nurse began matter-of-factly, "Comatose patients are still able to hear everything that goes on around them, even when they aren't able to respond. I'm sure Arnold knows you two have been here. Just give him time."

The nurse returned to her desk at the nurses' station as Grandpa and Grandma headed for the exit. Helga ducked out of view again as they passed her and once they were gone, she nonchalantly headed for Arnold's room door.

She took a breath, slowly opening the door and shutting it carefully behind her.

Arnold still looked the same way he had almost a week ago. The scratches and bruises on his arms and face were healing quickly but the bandage on his head was still there. His eyes were closed and his face was expressionless. Helga looked up at the monitors that were beeping and buzzing at her, a painful reminder that he wasn't simply asleep, though he did look peaceful. As peaceful as a coma patient could be, that is.

_This is your chance, Helga._

Helga approached the bed nervously. Even though he couldn't see her, she felt like eyes were boring into her and pulling her soul out into the foreground. She didn't know exactly what to say or how to start or what to do but she knew she needed to be there.

She hesitated a moment before she sat down in the chair by Arnold's bed. Looking down at her lap she thought carefully about everything she wanted to say, everything she needed to say. She wrung her hands together and fidgeted with the hem of her dress.

"Umm…" Helga's voice cracked and she cleared her throat before continuing. "Hi Arnold,"

Another deep breath. Her defenses were down and she felt utterly vulnerable sitting there in front of him.

"I – I've been worried about you… ya know. Ugh, I can't believe I'm doing this," Helga shook her head but kept going. "Arnold, I'm…" Another pause. "I'm scared… I'm actually scared. I don't know what's going to happen to you or why you haven't woken up yet. I just, I can't…. I wish you'd wake up, okay?"

Helga looked up from her lap at Arnold. No reaction, of course. Not even a flutter of an eyelid.

_You can do this. There's no reason to stop now. Stop being such a sissy!_

"Alright, look Arnold," Helga's voice became more assertive, as though Arnold's motionless body had been arguing with her. "You just need to know that I… I…" her voice became quiet. "I love you… and I'm really scared… that you might…" Helga choked. She felt her eyes filling with tears and she blinked them away, taking another breath to start again.

"You don't know how hard it was to know what happened to you… to see you like that… like _this_… I wish I could've told you before but I'm just so afraid, Arnold. Yes, that's right, Helga G. Pataki has her own fears," Helga chuckled half-heartedly. "I don't want… I can't lose you, okay? You mean so much… you always have… In some sick way you probably meant more to me than you should have but that doesn't even matter right now. I just, I want…" Helga gingerly picked up Arnold's limp hand, holding it in both of hers. "I _need_ you to be okay, Arnold,"

Helga lowered her voice again and repeated, "I love you…"

She lay her head down on Arnold's chest, listening to his steady breathing. She moved with him as his chest rose and fell and for one perfect moment, she felt like she was where she needed to be… where she should've been… all along.

Suddenly, she felt something move. It was just a slight movement but enough to startle Helga into an upright position. Arnold's finger twitched in her hand and she stared at it, eyes wide.

A little more movement in his fingers and then Helga noticed Arnold's eyelashes fluttering the tiniest bit. Her heart was pounding now. Fear, excitement, confusion, wonder, all rolled into one as she stared at him, taking in every minute movement his body made.

His eyes finally opened and he looked around the room, confused and groggy. Helga was frozen. Part of her wanted to run away but the other part wanted to stay by his side forever.

Helga cleared her throat. "Umm… hey,"

Arnold turned his attention to her and stared at her for a minute, noticing his hand was still in hers. Helga noticed that too and quickly retracted her hand, blood rushing to her cheeks.

_Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap…._

Helga tried to cover her mistake. She scooted the chair away from the bed and stood up, yet she couldn't manage to recover her scowl.

Arnold was still staring at her and this was making Helga more uncomfortable by the minute. Finally she spoke up, "What?"

Arnold looked like he was thinking and he struggled to pull himself up a bit in the bed. He cocked his head a bit, still looking just as confused as he had before but this time he responded verbally.

"Cecile?"


	4. Chapter 4

**[A/N: This was a fun chapter to write. Sorry it took a while- I have a ton of schoolwork to do. Mostly reading, but still. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this next segment! I'll try to update again soon :) Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it: I don't own Hey Arnold. ]**

Helga jerked backwards in shock, tripping over her chair and falling to the floor.

_Criminy! He thinks I'm Cecile! Well, not Cecile-Cecile, _me_-Cecile! I think… Oh _man_, better think fast…_

Helga quickly jumped back up, trying to play off her outburst.

"Oh, umm… oui-oui, Arnold…" she rubbed her neck and looked away, trying to think of her next move.

Arnold clutched his head, his face distorted with pain. "What happened?"

Helga looked back up at him, "You were in an accident, Arnold… and it was pretty bad…" Her voice was quiet.

"Oh…"

Helga inhaled deeply. "Yeah, you umm… you've actually been in a coma for a while now. Something about bleeding in your brain and pressure and…" Her voice hung in the air as she couldn't quite verbalize her thoughts without showing how upset the whole situation had made her.

Arnold was contemplative. Looking around at the equipment he was hooked up to and the now yellowing bruises and shrinking scabs on his arms, he leaned back against his pillow. Despite having woken up from what appeared to be a deep sleep, he actually seemed really tired.

_What do I do now? Should I go? He isn't saying anything. Maybe if I go now he'll forget I was here. _

Helga barely had the chance to think about leaving for a moment longer before Arnold spoke to her again.

"You came all the way back here to see me?"

_He thinks you're Cecile, Helga. Play along. Criminy, he must have really hit his head hard; I'm not even in disguise!_

"Umm, well ya know… I was in the neighborhood and…"

Arnold smiled at her. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again…"

"Well… here I am?" _I am so _lame_! This is going to end badly, oh _man,_ is this going to end badly…_

"Yeah…" Arnold's gaze shifted downward. "So where did you go?"

"Oh, I've been… around… I guess…"

"Really?" Arnold was puzzled. He hadn't seen Cecile in years. Not since that fateful night at Chez Paris. "Why haven't I seen you?"

Helga's voice softened as she looked at her hands, fidgeting with her fingernails. "I guess you weren't looking hard enough…"

Arnold looked up at the ceiling, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. He was in a hospital, apparently just having woken from a coma, and now the one girl that had mesmerized him years ago had suddenly appeared at his bedside. _Who is this girl? Why is she here now?_

"I know you said before that you couldn't tell me…" Arnold broke the silence, returning his gaze to Helga as she looked up at him. "… but I'd really like to know who you are?"

_No, no, no! I need to get out of here. _Now_ it's bad! _

"Actually Arnold, I-I shouldn't be here… I'm really sorry… I should go," Helga turned abruptly, heading for the door.

"Wait!" Arnold called after her. She paused with her hand just over the doorknob. "Please don't go…"

Helga's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't just leave him, could she? She felt torn inside. Her secret felt like it was moments from being revealed but at the same time, he was so vulnerable right now… and he was probably scared, too. After everything he'd been through, the least she could do was stick around for a little while. She slowly turned back around to face him but her gaze fell to the floor as she avoided his eye contact. Sighing deeply, she walked back over to the bed and sat down in the chair.

"I won't ask again…" Arnold was still watching her, hoping she'd look back up at him. "I'm just… well, I'm really glad you're here,"

Helga actually smiled as she finally met his gaze. "Yeah, Arnold… me too."

The two were quiet for a minute before Helga spoke up again, "I should probably go tell someone that you're awake… you're kind of a big deal right now, ya know,"

Helga stood up, her eyes never disconnecting with Arnold's. She felt her heart race as she tentatively patted Arnold's hand and walked back to the door, peering through the blinds first to make sure no one she knew was outside.

The area was clear so she left the room and approached the nurses' station to inform them that Arnold had finally woken up. One of the doctors and a couple nurses quickly hurried into Arnold's room to check on him while Helga stood back watching. As involved as she wanted to be, she couldn't help but periodically poke her head around the doorframe to make sure no one from her class or Arnold's family was on their way to see him. That would cause problems, unquestionably.

The doctors finished with Arnold, checking his vitals and his state of mind, and left the room.

A nurse with long, straight blonde hair stopped to tell Helga, "He's fine, sweetie. Perfectly aware of his surroundings and it doesn't look like his mental capacity has been altered at all!" She smiled and patted Helga on the shoulder.

_Yeah, except for the fact he's looking at me, Helga G. Pataki, and thinks he's seeing Cecile…_

They were alone again. Arnold was sitting up, sipping from a glass of water that'd been sitting on the nightstand. Helga shifted her feet uncomfortably, wringing her hands together behind her back.

"Arnold, I really should go now. I'm glad you're awake… really glad… but I have… homework to do… so, umm…" Helga's head was still tilted down as she glanced up at Arnold in his bed.

"Okay," he obliged. Helga started to walk back out before he stopped her again.

"Could you umm…" Now Arnold looked a little nervous himself. "Could you come see me again tomorrow? The doctor said I still have to stay here for a few more days… for observation. I know my other friends and my grandparents are gonna want to see me but… well, I was hoping I could get to talk to you more, too…"

Helga's heart skipped another beat. "Yeah," she cleared her throat. "Umm, sure. I could do that…"

"Great," Arnold smiled at her again and Helga felt like her knees would buckle right then and there.

"Okay, uh… 'tress bean'… see you later, Arnold,"

. . . . . . . .

Back at home, Helga was pacing back and forth in her room, trying to come up with a plan for tomorrow.

"Okay, I can't just walk in there like normal. That's way too risky. Do I still have that dress?"

Helga went into her closet and found the dress she'd worn on Valentine's day two years ago. She held it against her body in front of the mirror. She'd gotten taller in those two years and her body was starting to fill out.

_Oh, please fit. Please, please fit…_

Helga fought to squeeze herself into the dress. She got it on but it was a bit more snug than it'd been before and the hemline came up higher. She analyzed the image staring back at her in the full-length mirror. It didn't look _bad_ but it definitely accentuated her developing curves. And the hemline wasn't _too_ high; just high enough to hit a few inches above the knee.

_I guess I can work with this… it could be worse. At least I don't look like a hooker._

Helga stripped the dress off and redressed in her normal clothes before hanging the Cecile dress in the front of her closet.

_I can't believe I'm gonna do this again…_

Helga crawled onto her bed and lay on her stomach with her head resting against her crossed arms. This was definitely going to be interesting. She knew it was going to be risky going into the hospital as Cecile. Sure, she'd pulled off the disguise before but what if someone recognized her? She knew Gerald wouldn't since he'd been fooled before… unless he'd somehow wised up in the past couple years. But what if someone else saw her? Or worse, what if Arnold recognized her, as Helga, after all?

Helga groaned and rolled over, weighing her options in her head.

She wanted to be with Arnold so badly, especially now that he was okay. Or seemed so, at least. She'd been so worried about him and now to know that he was going to be fine just made her want to hug him and never let go. She'd come so close to losing him, it seemed. Maybe it was time to reveal her secret. They always say that you should tell the ones you love that you love them because you may not get the chance one day. Arnold had had his close call. Maybe this was a sign that Helga needed to express her true feelings to Arnold before it was too late? He _deserved _to know, didn't he?

Helga rolled her eyes at herself.

_And that is exactly why I'm going to see him again… in disguise… as Cecile… _

. . . . . . . .

The next day at the hospital, Arnold's grandparents and Gerald had come to visit.

"You really had us goin' there, Shortman," Grandpa explained. "You really took a whoopin' in that accident!"

"What happened exactly?" Arnold looked at Gerald in his wheelchair, one leg propped up in a cast, before returning his gaze to Grandpa.

"Well, you boys were in a car accident. A drunk driver ran a red light and hit you guys,"

"Jamie-O got a concussion and I broke my leg," Gerald interjected, gesturing to his cast.

"But the truck hit your side of the car, Arnold, so you got the worst of it. That's why you have all those bandages on your head: they had to do surgery and put you in a coma 'cause of the pressure in your noggin! Oh I tell ya, you had practically the whole dang neighborhood worried about you. Even your one little friend, you know, with the pink bow and the one eyebrow?"

"_Helga?_" Arnold and Gerald's incredulous response came in unison.

"Yeah, that's her. She was in the waiting room the night of the accident. She sure looked upset. Why, I've never seen that girl so quiet. And then she was here every day after that, too. Strangest thing, she never came in the room. She's an interesting friend you have there, Shortman. But yesterday your Grandma and I left early thinkin' maybe she'd go in and see ya if we weren't there. Sure enough, she did. As soon as we turned the corner, she was walkin' through your door."

Arnold's mouth was agape for a minute before turning into a soft smile.

Gerald's eyes were wide with surprise.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Oh no," Grandma spoke. "Miss Eleanor was here every day. Very sweet, actually," She smiled to herself knowingly.

"Well, anyway Arnold. We should get going now. It's almost eight o' clock and you could probably use your rest. We'll come back and see you again tomorrow," Grandpa stood up and Grandma followed.

"I'll see you later man," Gerald and Arnold said good-bye with their infamous handshake before Grandpa wheeled him out of the room with Grandma lagging behind.

"Goodnight, Kimba," she smiled at him again.

"Bye Grandma,"

The door closed and Arnold was alone.

_I can't believe Helga was here… Why would she come see me? I thought she hated me…_

Arnold didn't have much time to mull over his thoughts before he heard his doorknob turning again.

She came in discreetly, as if she didn't want to make a large commotion. A tiny pink bow sat atop her head with long blonde waves cascading down and over her shoulders, giving a soft look to her face. Some of her hair was swooped to the side, covering an eye and giving her a mysterious look. The dress she wore was stunning on her slender, feminine body and was accentuated by a pair of strappy pink heels. Where had he seen shoes like that before? Where had he seen _her_ before?

_I have a red shoe like that from when… I… wait a minute…_

Arnold recognized that dress. And the shoes, though a different color, were eerily similar to a shoe he'd held onto for the past few years, hoping he might find _her_ again. He felt like he was having déjà vu.

All of a sudden something clicked in his head. Like wheels and gears in an abandoned factory that had finally begun to turn, creaking and grinding with age and rust but moving nonetheless.

Her eyes were soft, sincere, and vulnerable as she looked around the room, avoiding Arnold's gaze before she slowly looked up at him.

His jaw was practically on his chest as he stared in wonder. She slowly approached him, wringing her hands together and breathing deeply.

Helga felt her heart pounding and sweat beading at the base of her neck.

_Oh man, why is he so quiet?_

"Umm, hi Arnold. I-I came back… like you asked…" she shifted in place.

Arnold's mouth had gone dry so he closed it, shaking his head and gulping.

"_Helga!?"_


	5. Chapter 5

**[A/N: Hey guys! I wrote another chapter tonight and I'm excited about it! I'm having a lot of fun writing this story.**

**I wanted to clear something up first as far as the last chapter goes. It seems there was a little confusion as to Arnold's perception of Helga/Cecile went. Basically, despite what the doctors said, Arnold wasn't 100% normal when he woke up. He saw Helga, acting sweet and nice, holding his hand and what not, and that didn't register to him as being "Helga". So his mind reverted to Cecile, who is Helga when Helga's being true to herself. In his subconscious, he knows Cecile is Helga but he's never admitted it to himself. So, even though Helga was dressed in her normal attire, he saw her as Cecile. But then, 24 hours later, he's had a little time to recuperate. Plus, he's just been told that Helga's been visiting him so now things start clicking and when she walks through the door, all of the puzzle pieces finally come together in his mind.**

**With that being said, I hope this next chapter helps to add more to the general picture of what's happening between these two! Enjoy!]**

Helga stopped in her tracks, eyes widening and her heart beat pounding in her ears.

_I _knew_ this was a bad idea! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!_

She had to think fast to cover-up the awkwardness of the situation. Somehow he'd seen through her disguise and now was not the time to become tongue-tied.

"Yeah, what of it, _Football-head?_" she crossed her arms and scowled at him, jutting a hip out to the side.

Arnold shook his head in confusion. Was this really happening?

"Wh-what are you doing here?" He was almost afraid to hear her answer.

"Well, I… I… Mrs. Cohen made me collect your homework for you and I heard you had woken up soo… I… wanted to give it to you. I mean, the less crap around me that reminds me of _you_, the better!"

Helga was giving him the best act she could but she couldn't hide her appearance and he'd already noticed. Judging by the way he was looking her up and down, staring at her, he'd more than noticed. He looked like he was dazed.

Helga was sweating. This was not supposed to happen. Panic coursed through her veins and all she wanted to do was bolt. Suddenly the steady ticking of the wall clock above the bed seemed excruciatingly loud. The door, only a couple of feet behind her, now seemed as though it was a mile away. She felt small and claustrophobic and all the while, Arnold hadn't taken his eyes off of her once.

Now she was feeling self-conscious. Not only because she was dangerously close to Arnold figuring everything out but also because of the way Arnold's eyes seemed hypnotized as they took in Helga's image. He looked stunned but at the same time… captivated?

Helga put a hand to her hip. "Why don't you take a picture, Arnoldo? It'd last longer…"

Arnold quickly looked away, fidgeting with his thumbs before him.

Silence for a moment. Helga cleared her throat awkwardly as Arnold spoke.

"Why… why are you dressed… like _that_?"

_Think fast, Helga, think fast!_

"Well, I… I'm going out to dinner with Phoebe. Yeah, that's right. Her family is goin' to the uh… the Chez Pierre and invited me to go along," Helga sighed internally with relief before quickly adding, "Not that it's any of _your_ business!"

Arnold frowned. Why did she have to be so hostile all the time?

_She isn't hostile _all _the time… _a voice in the back of Arnold's head.

"Wait a minute, Helga. If you're here to give me my homework, then where is it?" He raised an eyebrow at her, a sly grin on his face.

Helga's eyes were wide again. She stammered, "Oh, uh… I… I guess I left it at home. I was in a rush to leave and... and I just _forgot_ it, okay? Sheesh, what's with the third degree?" She huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at him with her piercing blue eyes.

Arnold sighed. _Maybe I was wrong… maybe she's not Cecile._

Strangely enough, as Arnold had this thought, he couldn't help but wonder why he felt disappointment mix with his relief.

"Anyway, Football-head. I'd _love_ to stay and chit-chat but I've got more important things to do… ya know, like count the tiles on my bathroom floor…"

She rolled her eyes as Arnold sat up in the bed, returning her glare. "Whatever, Helga. You don't have to be so mean. And if you're gonna act like that, I don't want you here anyway!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Helga left the room, slamming the door behind her and leaving a frustrated Arnold with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

. . . . . . . .

Helga took off her heels once she was outside and carried them as she sprinted home. She reached her stoop, out of breath and exhausted, and slumped onto a step. Holding her face in her hands, she shook her head as she berated herself.

"How could I be so dumb? I pulled that off when we were nine, did I really think he'd be that dense forever? What a freaking mess…"

Helga felt torn once again. She was embarrassed and anxious, the realization that Arnold probably hadn't bought her story pricking her like a thorn stuck in her side. She couldn't help but feel regret for how she'd treated Arnold. _The guy just woke up from a coma yesterday and I can't do anything but be cruel to him…_

The question now was how far had this actually gone? She didn't know exactly how Arnold was evaluating the encounter but judging by their final words to each other, it didn't seem positive.

"Oh Arnold," Helga pulled her locket out from the inside of the Cecile dress. "When will I find the courage I need? When will I stop being a coward? If anything, this whole ordeal should have made my feelings for you obvious and yet I can do nothing but berate you with insults and…" a sigh, "Why can't I show my true affections for you? The ones that led me to your bedside as you lay asleep, my flaxen-haired angel…"

Helga leaned back against the steps of her stoop as she returned the locket to its hiding place and gazed wistfully up at the evening clouds.

. . . . . . . .

That night Arnold's grandparents had come back to visit, just as they'd promised. He wanted to ask them more about Helga's visits but decided against it. He wasn't ready to hear it.

After they left, Arnold lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling as he became lost in his own thoughts. He replayed his interactions with Helga over and over in his head. The way she'd looked… she actually looked… really pretty.

Arnold vaguely remembered talking to Cecile the day prior… but wait, that was Helga? The doctors had said he passed the test for appropriate mental functioning after he'd woken up from the coma but maybe he hadn't been as aware of his surroundings as they'd thought. He just remembered someone… Helga… Cecile… someone holding his hand and talking to him. It felt right, it felt sweet. A gentle voice in his ear. That couldn't have been Helga… could it?

The next question was "why?" If Helga had actually dressed as Cecile all of those years ago, why did she do it? Was it supposed to be some kind of prank? Maybe she knew he had a date with Ruth that night and was just trying to make his life harder by forcing him to spend time with her and less with Ruth. Then again, that had turned out alright since Ruth ended up being kind of self-centered…

These thoughts followed Arnold as he slipped into a slumber.

. . . . . . . .

_Arnold was sitting at a nicely decorated table, dressed in the best suit he owned. A candle's gentle flame glowed intently, casting a dim light around the area. A band playing some sort of French song was somewhere… somewhere in the room but he couldn't quite place where._

"There's this girl I thought I liked, but it turned out when I got to know her, we had nothing in common…"

_Arnold heard his own voice echoing in the room. He looked around, perplexed. Where was it coming from?_

_In front of him on the other side of the table, a vague figure was facing him._

"Well, maybe she's not the girl for you. Maybe the girl for you is someone you didn't expect. After all, the most beautiful gift can come in the plainest box."

_Where had he heard that before? His vision flashed and suddenly he was in Mrs. Slovak's classroom as she was handing out postcards from their overseas penpals. Helga was complaining about hers and Mrs. Slovak was trying to give her some optimism. _

"Oh don't worry Helga. Sometimes the most beautiful gift can come in the plainest box."

_What? How did that… how did she…_

_Arnold was back in the restaurant now, a violinist playing a romantic song in the background._

"Arnold, there's something I have to… I need to say," A pause from the mysterious figure. The image was gradually becoming clearer but Arnold still couldn't make out the face. "Arnold, I have to tell you, I really like you… and I have to know… do you like me, too?"

_There was a thick stillness in the air all of a sudden. It felt like they were alone in the restaurant as the activity of everyone else around them seemed to mute. A hand lay gracefully on the table in front of him and Arnold felt the urge to hold it, though he couldn't explain why. He was mesmerized by this enigmatic creature before him, despite the fact he still wasn't sure who it was. It felt like something on the tip of his tongue but he just couldn't figure it out. His hand hovered above hers in a moment of anticipation._

_Arnold looked up from the hand on the table and suddenly the figure before him was Helga Pataki. Her hair down and loose, her face soft and gentle, wearing that dress…_

. . . . . . . .

Arnold sat up in bed in a cold sweat, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. He leaned forward to look back at the clock above the bed. It was after two in the morning.

A nurse rushed into the room, looking with worry at Arnold who was now sitting up in bed.

"Are you okay, honey? I saw your heart rate and blood pressure spike on the monitor! What happened?" She approached him, checking his pulse as well as the equipment to which he was attached.

Arnold's breathing was quickly slowing down. He shook his head, "I'm okay. It was… just a dream, I guess…"

The nurse breathed a sigh of relief, pushing a fallen piece of dark brown hair behind her ear. "Okay, good. Let me know if you need anything, hun. I'm right outside and my shift doesn't end until six,"

"Thanks," Arnold settled back down into the bed. "I'm gonna try to fall back asleep."

The nurse nodded and left the room, gently closing the door behind her.

. . . . . . . .

_Arnold was lying in his hospital bed, monitors and machines beeping and whirring around him. Everything felt very hazy and he couldn't see anything but darkness. Where was he? What was going on?_

"Arnold, I'm…" A female voice almost sounded like they were whimpering. "I'm scared… I'm actually scared. I don't know what's going to happen to you or why you haven't woken up yet. I just, I can't…. I wish you'd wake up, okay?"

_Who was that? It sounded so familiar…_

"You just need to know that I… I…" her voice was quiet. She sounded pained, as though the words coming from her mouth were the most difficult words ever spoken. "I love you… and I'm really scared… that you might…"

_That I might what? Arnold wondered in his head. Who was this? Who loved me?_

_The voice choked and he heard sniffling. They were crying. Don't cry, whoever you are! Arnold called out. I'm okay, I promise! _

"You don't know how hard it was to know what happened to you… to see you like that… like this… I wish I could've told you before but I'm just so afraid, Arnold. Yes, that's right, Helga G. Pataki has her own fears,"

_Hold on, what?! _

"I don't want… I can't lose you, okay? You mean so much… you always have… In some sick way you probably meant more to me than you should have but that doesn't even matter right now. I just, I want…"

_Arnold felt his hand being lifted up. She was holding it gently between her own two hands. Her grip was firm but tender._

"I need you to be okay, Arnold,"

_But I AM okay! Really!_

"I love you…"

_WHO loves me? Who are you? You can't be Helga. No way. _

_Slowly Arnold's vision began to clear. The first thing he saw was the top left corner of the hospital room. The walls were painted a muted periwinkle and a simple painting of a daisy hung from the wall directly across from him. To his right, someone was still holding his hand._

_Her blonde hair was adorned with a pink bow on top of their head. She wore a pink dress that he'd swear he recognized… _

_She had had her head resting on his chest but now she was sitting straight up, looking at him with a shocked expression. Her eyes were red as though she'd been crying. Somehow, without words, he understood that this person before him was sweet and sincere, and genuinely cared for him. There was some sort of connection between them, though he couldn't quite make out the face. That was still a blur. Who did he know that was blonde? Who would come to his bedside like that? Who cared about him that much? Why did she look so familiar?_

**[A/N: The quotes in the first dream sequence are from the Hey Arnold episode "Arnold's Valentine" and I do not own them, or anything from Hey Arnold, whatsoever.]**


	6. Chapter 6

**[A/N: Hey guys! I wrote another chapter and this one's a bit longer. I can't wait to get into the more climactic moments of this story but I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think!]**

The next morning was Saturday and Arnold awoke with a powerful headache. He clutched the sides of his head as he turned over, burying his face into the pillow.

He'd been disconnected from some of the machines but not all of them, so his movements were still a bit limited.

Today was supposed to be his last day in the hospital and he couldn't wait to get out. The doctors were impressed with his steady recovery and had told his grandparents that they could pick him up that night.

A nurse walked into the room.

"Oh, I'm glad to see I didn't have to wake you!" The tall blonde woman was carrying a disposable paper cup, filled with water, and a small medicine cup containing two little brown pills. "This should help with the headache. You'll probably be dealing with them for a little while but they should subside with time,"

The nurse handed the medicine and the cup to Arnold who sat up and gratefully took them.

"When do I get to go home?" Arnold looked up at the clock. It was almost noon.

The nurse smiled, taking the empty containers from Arnold. "Sometime this evening. The doctor wants to do a final exam on you before you're released but then you'll be good to go!"

"Cool," Arnold settled back down into the bed, pulling the covers over his head.

He was so tired of being in there. Even though he'd only been awake for a few days now, he was feeling antsy and ready to leave.

He'd had some pretty strange dreams the night before and despite some resistance, he couldn't stop thinking about Helga.

He didn't buy her story about dressing up for dinner with Phoebe's family but the details of everything that'd happened recently were still a little fuzzy. At the same time, the overwhelming idea that Helga was Cecile and Cecile was Helga hovered in the back of his mind like a persistent mosquito, flying around, trying to bite him, as hard as he tried to fight it away.

He conjured up the mental image of Helga in that dress and the way she'd looked when he saw her yesterday. He had to admit she looked really pretty and his stomach did a little flip when he realized he'd had that thought about _Helga_.

_No way. _

The more he thought about it, the more he felt like an idiot for not realizing it before. He'd seen Helga's softer side before and that was exactly the way 'Cecile' had been when he met her two years ago. It was Helga without all of the sarcasm, hostility and anger.

He thought about how enamored he'd been with 'Cecile' that night and how disappointed he'd been when she wouldn't tell him who she was. She told him he'd probably see her again but he never realized how truthful that statement had been. It seemed like so much to process but Arnold had nothing better to do than stew in his own thoughts.

The longer he thought about her, however, the more he started to reflect on his relationship with Helga when there had been no disguise hiding them from one another.

The first thing that popped into his head was the time he'd gone to Chez Paris with Helga, Phoebe and Gerald. Arnold face-palmed.

_I didn't even recognize her in the same restaurant!_

It had definitely been an interesting night, especially after Nadine showed up with the cockroaches and they got in trouble for trying to skip out on the bill. Arnold recalled how tired and pruned his hands had been after washing so many dishes that night but another memory quickly flashed into his mind.

_He was washing dishes next to Helga while she complained about the task at hand. He couldn't help but be impressed with Helga for telling the truth, though they wound up washing dishes late into the night. She, of course, was not as amused. That is, until Arnold squirted her with the sink hose and she gasped, turning to him in surprise. He'd winked at her, subtly, and smiled to himself at how flustered she'd become._

Arnold blushed as he realized how easily that moment could've been seen as flirting. Had he been flirting?

He thought about the time he'd had to collaborate with Helga on the biosquare project.

_She'd been so difficult for the entire day and he remembered how he'd done his best to maintain his patience. She really had a way of getting under his skin sometimes. When the greenhouse had flooded, however, she'd pulled him up onto the inflatable air mattress. The latch holding the front end of the greenhouse together collapsed and the water poured out as they clung to the mattress for dear life. They managed to stay on and washed up in Arnold's backyard, out of breath. For a moment he'd felt something with Helga. It hadn't been much, but despite how nasty she'd been the whole time they'd been together, she showed her true colors when she yanked him to safety. _

_I know she's a good person, deep down. The frustrating thing is she hardly ever shows it and I just don't get why…_

The next memory that found its way into Arnold's head was of the break he'd spent at the beach with his grandparents and the boarders.

_He hadn't been particularly thrilled that Helga was going to be staying at the same beach house, especially after she made it clear that a change of scenery wasn't going to change the fact that she loved to harass him for some reason._

_He remembered Summer. She'd been great at first and he'd found himself so captivated by her charm… and so frustrated that Helga just seemed to want to make his life miserable. She'd tried to warn him over and over again that Summer was no good, that she was taking advantage of him, but how was he supposed to believe Helga? She wasn't always the most honest person around. But then he finally overheard Summer talking about how she'd only been using him. Helga had been right and he was amazed that she cared enough to try to spare him the heartache._

_They ended up winning the sandcastle-building contest and received some air-time on Babewatch as the prize. _

Now Arnold was starting to blush.

_He remembered the awkward scene where he'd been rescued from sea and needed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. One of the regular actresses was supposed to do it but Helga had cut in and all of a sudden her lips were on his! And he didn't know everything about CPR but he was pretty sure she was supposed to be pretending to breath into his mouth, taking gulps of air and coming back over and over… but instead she held her mouth to his, gently massaging his lips with her own. Arnold's eyes had shot open when he heard a soft moan coming from the back of her throat._

Heat rushed to Arnold's face now as he felt his muscles tighten. Before he could stop it, he had another flashback.

_This time, he was lying on the gymnasium stage, pretending to be the poisoned Romeo to Helga's Juliet. He listened to her monologue and marveled at how passionately she was delivering her lines. Finally the big moment came. All of the boys in school had dreaded this, hence why Arnold had been stuck with the role of Romeo. He breathed in deeply through his nose, knowing he was about to be kissed by Helga G. Pataki. _

_She was holding him so carefully, so… lovingly… And without hesitation, their lips were united and she felt warm and soft and he… did he like it? Kind of…_

Arnold felt like his cheeks were catching fire the longer he reminisced.

_Helga had been kissing him for a long time. They hadn't had the chance to rehearse together but he wasn't expecting it to last this long. She finally let him go and he dropped to the floor in the heat of her theatricality. She finished her lines, collapsing on top of him._

_He'd been suspicious of her extended kiss but she made it clear how disgusted she'd been by it. Still, he couldn't help but ask her why she'd kissed him for so long if she was that miserable. She gave some excuse about acting and being in character… something like that… but somehow he knew there was more to it than that. Sure, Helga was as dramatic as one could get sometimes but she didn't have to kiss him with that much passion. She didn't have to seem so into it, and for so long…_

As that memory faded, Arnold turned over in his bed to look out the window. It was cloudy today and the room was only slightly illuminated by the light outside. Staring at the clouds, another memory rose to the surface of Arnold's conscious mind.

_The flood. Mr. Simmons had made the class stay late, despite numerous groans of protest. It was raining and there was a flash flood warning. Before they knew it, they were stuck, trapped in the school until the severe weather passed._

_Arnold's classmates had disappeared, as had Mr. Simmons, and he found his friends in the art supply room wreaking havoc. Covered in paint and running around like maniacs, he called their attention to the fact that Mr. Simmons was missing. They eventually found him hanging by a broken ladder outside. The rising waters were ominous, an approaching threat, as the weakening metal of the ladder screeched with their teacher's weight._

_They managed to get a rope tied around Mr. Simmons and were pulling him to safety when Helga leaned out to give him a hand. Before Arnold could react, she'd fallen into the water and was being pulled away by the rushing waters. Arnold cried out to her; he couldn't hide his fear. He remembered her screaming his name with panic in her eyes. Mr. Simmons managed to grab hold of Helga before she was carried away by the current. Adrenaline coursed through Arnold's veins and a newfound determination dripped from his voice as he instructed everyone to pull in Mr. Simmons and Helga. He never really realized how much that brief moment had affected him. After the danger had passed, they were quickly rescued by Grandpa and Oskar and no one ever brought up what had happened between him and Helga._

He started putting everything together in his mind. When Helga wasn't being mean she really wasn't that bad. He always had a feeling that the reason behind her bravado was that she felt the need to cover up her own insecurities. The longer Arnold thought about his past experiences with Helga and the more he thought about the idea of her being Cecile, the more enamored he became. Who could believe that the girl he fell for two years ago was none other than Helga Pataki? In his heart he knew the truth but he needed to hear it from Helga herself.

Arnold looked at the clock again. It was just after one in the afternoon. He had plenty of time before his grandparents would be picking him up so he snuggled back into the starchy white hospital blanket and fell asleep.

. . . . . . . .

By noon, Helga was still fast asleep. She'd stayed up late watching wrestling and was enjoying the opportunity to sleep in as late as she wanted.

Helga muttered incoherently to herself in her sleep, tossing about restlessly under the covers.

_She was in a large, gorgeous mansion, decorated with the finest pieces of art and architecture anyone could imagine. High ceilings and marbled floors, perfectly arranged paintings, sculptures and potted plants adorned the interior._

_She was in the living room, a fireplace lit, casting a romantic glow over the room as she sat anxiously on the couch. She twirled a feather-duster in her hand. _

_Looking down at herself she was dressed in black and white, a traditional maid's costume. Her long blonde hair had been set free and flowed gracefully down the curve of her back. The sound of heels clicking against the marble floors came from an adjacent hallway._

_"Ay chica, what are you doing here?" Another maid, older than Helga and of Dominican descent, came into view. "I thought you were seeing Mr. Shortman tonight… alone…" She winked._

_Helga sighed. "Oh Johanna, he'll never love me… I'm sure of it!" She stood up, clutching her heart. "Mi corazon, it is for him and only him… and yet, I dare say it means nothing…"_

_Johanna rushed to Helga, putting an arm around her and pulling her face up to look directly in her eyes._

_"Honey, that is YOUR man! You can't just give up!"_

_Helga pulled away from Johanna's grasp, approaching the fireplace thoughtfully, holding her crossed arms against her chest._

_"It's no use!" Helga threw up her hands as a violin played in the background. "He could never love me. Look at me," Helga turned back to Johanna, gesturing to herself. "I'm the maid. He saw me once in the beautiful gown your brother's girlfriend's cousin's twice-removed aunt's baby-daddy's adopted sister designed for the benefit last week… but he can't possibly see me as anything more… than a maid…" Helga collapsed on the sofa with a lovesick groan, her wrist resting on her forehead._

_"Ay Dios Mio…" Johanna shook her head._

_Just then, dramatic orchestral music played as a male figure appeared in the doorway._

_"Senor Shortman!" the two ladies cooed._

_His hair was slicked back and he wore a dark grey fitted suit. He actually looked quite handsome.  
_

_"Helga," he approached her suddenly and she jumped from the sofa._

_"Yes, sir?"_

_He reached around, gripping her tightly at the waist and pulling her close. His eyes locked with hers and she felt her knees weakening, her breath slowing, her heart racing, as those half-lidded green orbs searched hers with an unspoken passion._

_"Mi amor…" A hand cupped her face and his lips approached hers swiftly. They just barely made contact when…_

. . . . . . . .

A steady, obnoxious beeping stirred Helga from her slumber. She smacked her lips, slamming a hand down on the top of her alarm clock to stop the incessant noise. Her eyes were heavy and she rolled over onto her side, slowly allowing herself to wake up but wishing she could return to the dream. It was, she felt, the only place that she could find herself in Arnold's loving embrace.


	7. Chapter 7

**[A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews and everything! I've got some sweet ideas for this story and I can't wait to get to them! :) In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter. We're steadily building up, closer and closer, to... well, you'll see! I also apologize that this chapter is a bit shorter than the others.]**

_This dream seemed familiar. Arnold was in the foyer of the Pataki house, dressed in a tuxedo and exhausted from a long day hauling boxes at Big Bob's Beepers._

_He heard babies crying in the living room and as he approached the doorway, one of them crawled over and spit up on his shoe._

_The whole room was a mess. Curtains had fallen, unknown brown sludge was smeared across the walls, and two other babies were running amok. _

_"Nice of you to show up," Helga was slouched across the big chair, remote in one hand and a candy bar in the other._

_"I was at my job, on the loading dock," Arnold felt defeated and exhausted. How long did he have to put up with being married to Helga? _

_Helga snapped her fingers, "Paycheck!", as a football-headed baby threw a bottle at him._

_"That's it! I can't take this anymore!" Arnold turned Helga's TV off as she sat up, scowling._

_"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" she challenged._

_"I'm taking charge of this nightmare. If I have to be married to you, then things are gonna change," Arnold's brow was furrowed as he approached Helga. "First of all, I'm not working at the beeper store anymore. Second, we're moving out of this madhouse. And finally, you're gonna start sharing some of the responsibilities,"_

_Helga cut him off. "Yak, yak, yak," she mocked._

_Arnold grabbed her arm and pulled her up to face him. "Why are you doing this? Look, I know you're not this lazy and cold and uncaring. You may act like that, but deep down I know you're smart and you have feelings, and if we _have_ to be married to each other, then I want you to start showing it,"_

_Helga looked away, her defenses weakening. "I-I don't know what you're talking about,"_

_"Yes you do, Helga! Why can't you just admit it? You're not this mean,"_

_"Yes, I am," she was still looking away and her rebuttal wasn't convincing._

_"No you're not! You're _not_!"_

_Helga looked back up at him as she gave in, "Okay, okay, you're right. I can't hide it anymore. You've seen through my tough, blustery exterior and into my soft, mushy, good-hearted center…" Helga rubbed her shoulder nervously. "It's true, I'm not this bad," she turned away from him. "I guess I was just afraid to show my real feelings… but you knew it all along, didn't you? I may be rough around the edges but deep down I'm a good person, and I don't hate you…" Helga was facing Arnold at this point now and his eyes were wide, fascinated by the sudden turn-around. "In fact, I sorta like you… I mean, I actually… sort of… more than like you… I… I-I really like you… I-I really really like you… and well, heck I like you so much that you might say that I actually lo-"_

_At that moment, the dream faded away and was replaced by another surprisingly vivid memory. _

_He was at school and everyone had just come in from recess. He realized halfway down the hallway that he'd left his books outside and went back to get them. Outside in the empty schoolyard he was surprised to hear something coming from behind the dumpster. He approached cautiously, as he couldn't subdue his curiosity. As he got closer, he noticed the sound was a female voice._

_"… the one and only one who truly loves Arnold. If only he could see past my mean, blustery veneer, and into my soft, mushy interior, wherein, I adore him…"_

_Arnold came around the side of the dumpster and found… Helga?!_

_His heartbeat was racing. There's no way he heard what he thought he heard. Before he could panic any longer, however, he was back in the Pataki living room. Helga stood before him, vulnerable and approachable._

_"I actually… love you…" she let out a breath and turned away from him._

_He didn't quite understand it but at that moment a warm sensation came over his chest. He looked at Helga in the random spotlight that had fallen upon them. Without her scowl she actually looked kind of pretty. He smiled at her in her wedding dress, thinking maybe this wouldn't be so bad. _

_"So… umm…" Helga looked completely awkward. With her walls down, her nervousness was obvious._

_Arnold stepped toward her and took her hand. He stared at it for a moment before looking back up at Helga's face. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she focused on each gesture he made. Arnold grinned. He kind of liked seeing her flustered like this. Without thinking he wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him so that their faces were mere inches apart. His eyes half-lidded, he couldn't contain the smile that was growing on his face. Helga's eyes looked up at him, still terrified but now there was also a hint of something else… excitement?_

_Arnold leaned in close to Helga until he could feel her breath on his skin. Closer and closer, until he felt the heat of her lips on his…_

_. . . . . . . ._

Arnold sat up in bed, panting.

_Why do I keep having these dreams?! _

Arnold tried to catch his breath as he checked the time again. It was now four thirty and he only had another hour or so until his grandparents would be there to sign the paperwork, discharging him from the hospital. There was a remote on the nightstand by his bed. He reached for it, turning on the TV and hoping for a distraction.

. . . . . . . .

Helga woke up around two and did some homework. However, reading about the French Revolution wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend her Saturday.

A few hours later she was in the living room, planted in Big Bob's favorite chair in front of the TV. She was watching wrestling and she should've been more into it but she couldn't stop thinking about Arnold.

_He's supposed to be getting out of the hospital today… Oh how I wish I could be with him, encouraging him and supporting him, showing him my true colors. How joyous, his recovery after such a horrid ordeal…_

Helga pulled out her locket, "Oh Arnold," she gently caressed the glass over Arnold's picture. "How I wish to be near you. How I wish that you could see me as I see me… there is so much you don't know… so much that I just cannot say…"

"Hey Olga!" Big Bob walked up behind Helga's chair.

"Criminy!" Helga scrambled to hide her locket under the cushion of the chair. "_What_?"

"Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey. Don't you take that tone with me, little lady,"

Helga scowled. "I'm… _so_ sorry, _Dad_. What _ever_ can I do for you?"

"Get your fanny in the dining room. It's time to eat,"

Helga waited until Big Bob had turned around to walk away before she returned her locket to the inside of her dress.

. . . . . . . .

After yet another awkward and frustrating family dinner, Helga trudged up to her room. Anything was better than sitting downstairs with her parents. Miriam, passed out in her mashed potatoes while Big Bob went on and on about beeper sales and Olga. All he seemed to care about was himself, and Olga. Meanwhile, Helga was put on the backburner. He didn't even say anything to her when he'd found out her classmates had been in the car accident that was all over the news last week.

Helga lay down on her bed, pulling out her little pink notebook. She thought about the last time she'd seen Arnold. She knew he probably didn't buy her excuse and as far as she was concerned, her life was over. How could she have been careless enough to visit him as Cecile again? When he called her Cecile the first time she'd been able to see him, she should've denied it. Plain and simple. What foolish train of thought had allowed her to continue the façade, knowing full-well that she wasn't even dressed to play the part!

Helga sighed as she clicked her pen open, pouring the contents of her tortured soul onto the page.

_Drifting between the unconscious and reality,  
his voice ringing softly in my ears.  
A secret that's lost all confidentiality,  
repeating what I've been hearing for years._

_Gentler than usual, yet stinging like a whip,  
truth coaxing me to embrace what's real.  
Hope sinking to the ocean floor like a doomed ship,  
pre-destined to fail for its fate is sealed._

_Follow me around, these regrets and desires,  
aggressive tugs on my sleeve when he's near.  
Act normal, like he and my heart do not conspire,  
playing on my hopes, tormenting me with fear._

. . . . . . . .

Arnold was excited to go home. He was still exhausted but most of his bruises had faded and he'd be able to get some of his stitches out in a week.

Grandpa was at the nurses' station signing the forms while Grandma helped Arnold collect his belongings. He hadn't really paid much attention until now but a lot of people had brought him flowers and get well notes.

"Did you get to talk to your little friend, Arnold?" Grandma smiled at her grandson.

"What? Oh, no…" Arnold fidgeted with his pillowcase as Grandma zipped up a small mesh bag containing his toothbrush, comb, and various other items.

Grandma's smile widened at the fact she hadn't even specified _which_ friend.

"Oh, well that's a shame. She seems like such a sweet girl…"

A laugh escaped Arnold's mouth but he quickly suppressed it.

"Hey Pookie! Shortman!" Grandpa called into the hospital room. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah Grandpa, we're comin'," Arnold followed Grandma into the hallway, turning the light off behind him.

The nurses were explaining Arnold's aftercare to Grandpa. He needed to have a follow-up with the regular doctor and come back in a month for a CT scan. He had stitches in his arm that were supposed to dissolve on their own but the stitches on his scalp from his surgery would need to be removed in one week.

Grandpa and Grandma were leading Arnold out when he stopped abruptly and returned to the nurses' station. Grandma and Grandpa waited at the exit.

One of the nurses looked up at him from her seat. "Yes, sugar?"

"Umm…" Arnold was feeling sheepish now. "Could you tell me… was there a girl here to see me while I was, ya know, in the coma?"

The nurse smiled, "Any _particular _girl you're wondering about?"

"Yeah, she uh…" Arnold rubbed his neck. "She has blonde hair and this… pink bow…?"

The nurse looked back down at her clipboard, raising her eyebrows and smirking, "Yeah, she was here," A mental image of Helga scurrying around the hospital Mission Impossible-style popped into the nurse's head and she stifled a chuckle. "Every day,"

"Right…" Arnold nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. "Okay, thank you!"

Arnold jogged back to his grandparents and proceeded with them to the elevator.

_I really need to talk to Helga…_

**[A/N: Arnold's dream in the very beginning, along with his encounter with Helga behind the dumpster, are from the episode "Married", not me. The continuation of Helga's confession, however, was all me :).**


	8. Chapter 8

**[A/N: Hey! I have so so many ideas popping into my head every minute of every day but unfortunately, school is trying to kick my butt :(. I'm gonna try and update as often as possible but please bear with me if it takes me a little bit between chapters! I'm dying to write this story in its entirety! I hope you guys like this next segment! Let me know what you think!]**

Arnold went to school Monday morning with a doctor's note explaining his condition and excusing him from any strenuous physical activity.

Everyone was excited to see Arnold and when he first came in that morning, a crowd of classmates surrounded him asking questions ranging from "How are you doing?" to "Could I look through the hole in your head and see your brain?"

Gerald was limping around on crutches now, to his relief. The wheelchair had been making life complicated since the accident.

Arnold sat down next to his best friend and they exchanged their signature handshake.

"How you feelin', man?" Gerald inquired.

"I'm okay, I guess. I'm still having headaches but they said that's to be expected," Arnold pulled his notebook out of the desk. "How about you?"

"Oh, I'm good. Gotta walk around with these for a while," he motioned toward the crutches that were lying on the floor by his seat. "But I should only need them for a few more weeks,"

Everything was just as Arnold remembered it. The same posters were hung up in the classroom, the seating arrangement was the same, his school supplies were in the same condition and placement he'd left them the Friday of the accident.

Arnold scanned the room for a particular face.

_I wonder why Helga isn't here._

Arnold shrugged off the thought but found himself periodically glancing over to the empty desk a couple rows ahead of him.

The morning passed and the lunch bell rang. As everyone eagerly filed out of the classroom, Arnold stopped at Mrs. Cohen's desk.

"Mrs. Cohen?"

She looked up from her gradebook and smiled at Arnold. "Yes Arnold, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I was wondering if I could have the homework I missed while I was in the hospital? I know I have a lot to catch up on," Arnold readjusted the backpack strap that was sliding off of one shoulder.

"You don't have it? Helga offered to bring it to you; I thought she would've given it to you by now," Mrs. Cohen's face was puzzled.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Thank you!" Arnold started toward the door but stopped and turned around. "Wait a minute, she _offered_?" Arnold raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes, she should have all of your assignments since the first day you were out. Have a good lunch, Arnold."

"Hmm…yeah, thanks Mrs. Cohen,"

"Oh Arnold, before you go," Mrs. Cohen flipped through a stack of papers. "I assume you're going to contact Helga about your homework. Would you mind taking her assignments to her for today?"

Arnold shrugged and walked back to the desk, accepting the worksheets. "Yeah, I can do that,"

"You're a good kid, Arnold,"

Arnold smiled and headed off to lunch.

. . . . . . . .

The final bell had rung and Arnold was sitting on the bus waiting to go home. Gerald was with him and catching him up on everything he'd missed while he was gone.

"—and then Curly locked himself in the… hey, Arnold! Are you even listening?" Gerald cocked his head.

Arnold had been staring out the window, daydreaming, but quickly snapped his attention back to Gerald.

"What? Oh, sorry Gerald, I'm just a little out of it. Meds, I guess,"

The truth was, Arnold was thinking hard about what he was going to say to Helga when he saw her. He couldn't deny their last meeting had been awkward and with all of the dreams he'd had the past few days, he felt the need to prepare his words carefully.

He was pretty sure Helga had dressed up as Cecile two years ago. The question now was _why_. They'd had a great time that night and though he knew Helga was a good person deep down, he was amazed at the idea of _that girl_ being _Helga_. He'd been entranced by that girl. Something about her had sent his head into a dizzy swirl of attraction. For years he'd looked back on that night, wondering if he'd ever see her again but now that he'd found her, he was more confused than he had been to begin with.

Helga had always been part of his "circle". Sometimes she felt more like one of the guys than one of the girls because she wasn't really into all of the "girly" stuff like make-up and clothes. She loved playing sports and could hold her own with the guys. Arnold had to admit he liked that about her. Sometimes when a group of them would be hanging out, she'd be the only girl and that didn't seem to faze her at all. Needless to say, seeing Helga in a dress and actually acting and looking like a girl… that was a wake-up call to Arnold. As rough and tough as she could be, she was still a girl and when she walked into his hospital room looking the way she did… well, Arnold couldn't help but take notice.

As Arnold watched in boredom at the blur of buildings passing by, curiosity struck and he pulled out the papers Mrs. Cohen had given him for Helga. He flipped through sheet after familiar sheet from the day's classwork until he came to a graded assignment. It was a poem written for their language arts unit.

_A cry that pierces the night,  
secrets of the wolf, do shelters guard.  
Awakening the fury of the wood._

_A secret that makes the wolf's heart mourn,  
pleading to be freed from an evil card.  
A cry that pierces the night._

_A scream of terror, forlorn,  
slicing the silence like glass shards.  
Awakening the fury of the wood._

_A mask of bravery is worn,  
disguising that which you should not regard.  
A cry that pierces the night._

_A piercing screech like an off-key horn,  
emerges from the wolf whose ego is scarred.  
Awakening the fury of the wood._

_Since the day the wolf was born,  
other creatures have left her heart marred.  
A cry that pierces the night,  
awakening the fury of the wood._

Arnold quickly returned the papers to his backpack, feeling like he'd majorly invaded Helga's privacy.

_I didn't know she could write like that…_

The bus pulled up outside of Helga's house and Arnold stood up to leave.

"Where you goin', man? Your stop isn't for a few more blocks," Gerald asked as he moved his backpack out of Arnold's way.

"Oh, uh… I have to give Helga her homework," Arnold avoided Gerald's eye contact. He didn't want to tell him he would've been at her house regardless because they needed to talk about her being Cecile.

"Oh, okay. Good luck," Gerald chuckled.

Outside Helga's front door, Arnold knocked tentatively.

No answer. He knocked louder.

"Alright, alright. I'm _comin_'! _Sheesh_, hold your horses," Helga's voice came from inside.

The door opened and as soon as Helga saw Arnold standing there, her eyes went wide and she quickly shut the door.

Arnold furrowed his brow and knocked again.

_Oh criminy, I'm not ready for this…_ Helga was leaning against the inside of her front door but she knew she couldn't just leave him standing there. She opened the door again.

"Oh hey, Football-head, how's it goin'?"

"Fine, Helga. Can I come in?" He looked at her expectantly.

She gulped, "Oh, uhh… sure…"

Once inside, Arnold showed himself into the empty living room. He sat his backpack down on the couch and started sifting through papers.

"So, what do _you_ want?" Helga crossed her arms, successfully recovering her front.

"I have the work you missed today… and Mrs. Cohen told me to see you about the work I missed while I was out," Arnold handed the thin pile of papers to Helga. She took them, eyeing Arnold suspiciously.

_Really? No inquisition over the whole Cecile thing? Could I be so lucky?_

"Oh, okay. I'll be right back," Helga took her classwork upstairs and returned with a much thicker pile of papers.

Arnold groaned when he saw how much work he had to do.

Helga shoved the stack into his hands. "Here ya go, Football-head. You're _lucky_ I was nice enough to let Mrs. Cohen talk me into collecting all your crap,"

Arnold gave her a clever smirk. "Actually, she said _YOU volunteered…"_

Helga's face lost its aggression and was replaced with an anxious, stunned look.

"Oh, uh… I-"

"It's okay, Helga. I really appreciate it… That was a really nice thing for you to do," Arnold looked down at his feet sheepishly. "I can't exactly say I understand why you did it… or why you did… other stuff…"

"I… I-I don't know what you're talking about, _Arnoldo_," Helga crossed her arms haughtily and looked away.

"Yes you do, Helga," Arnold countered. "What… what happened at the hospital?"

"_Elaborate_, paste-for-brains," Helga still wouldn't look at him.

"You… you were dressed up like Cecile. We both know it. The one thing _I_ don't know is _why_," Arnold sat down on the couch, fidgeting with the corner of one of his papers.

"I told you, I was going to dinner with Phoebe. I don't know who this Cecile-"

"Cut it out, Helga. I'm not an idiot. I guess I fell for it before but I'm not as dense as you think I am, at least not now. I know it was you at Chez Paris two years ago and I know you were dressed as Cecile at the hospital. What I _don't_ know is why you made that whole thing up in the first place. I just… I mean, I had a really good time that night and I never expected that you… that you would…"

"Alright, alright, Football-head. Don't get all sappy on me now, sheesh louise…" Helga put her hands on her hips. "I don't need to explain anything to you."

Arnold's face fell. "I guess you're right… but I'd still like to know…"

He looked up at her and caught her gaze. The way his eyes seemed to be searching so desperately for answers made Helga want to break. She shook her head, trying to regain composure.

"Look Arnold, even if I told you, it wouldn't matter," Her voice was softer now.

He sat up, "Why wouldn't it?"

Helga groaned, "It just _wouldn't_, okay?" she turned away from him again.

Arnold put his papers down on the couch and approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder. That caused her body to become rigid.

"I know you visited me every day, Helga. That's a pretty amazing thing to do for someone you claim to hate,"

"Yeah, well…" She couldn't come up with an answer fast enough so the statement hung in the air awkwardly.

"I'm glad you were there…" Arnold said quietly, staring at his feet.

Helga's eyes bulged. "Uhh…"

"I mean, even if you aren't always very nice, you're still my friend and I still care about you… it's nice to know that deep down inside, you care about me, too." He looked back up, smiling at her.

Helga gulped, dumbstruck. "Yeah, well. Don't get used to it, _Arnoldo_. Of _course_ I would care if someone was practically _dying_. I _am_ human, ya know,"

Arnold smiled. "Yeah… but why don't you act like that all the time?"

Helga backed away from him, putting her guard back up. "None of your business, Hairboy. Do you _ever_ give up with all that touchy-feely crap?"

"Do you ever give up with all of that hostile, I'm-gonna-pretend-I don't-have-feelings-when-I'm-actually-a-really-sweet-person crap?" Arnold lost his breath the moment those words left his mouth. _Did I really just call her _sweet_? What the heck!_

Helga was caught off-guard just as much. "Ya know what? You don't know me as well as you _think_ you do, Football-head,"

He put a hand on her forearm, "But I _want_ to…"

Helga felt her heart racing from the sensation but before she could respond, Big Bob stomped into the room.

"Hey Olga, get in the kitchen and help your mother with dinner. You know she shouldn't be using the stove unsupervised,"

Helga turned to him, grumbling, "Why can't _you_ watch her, _Bob_?"

"Because the game starts in about five minutes and I don't intend to miss any of it! Now say good-bye to your friend there and _go_!" Bob crossed his arms, waiting and watching.

"It's okay Helga, I'll just talk to you later," Arnold picked up his backpack and started toward the foyer.

"Yeah," Helga followed, closing the front door behind him as he left. _Can't freaking wait…_


	9. Chapter 9

**[A/N: So I have a hard time resisting the urge to write... SO here's a long chapter for you guys! Hope you enjoy it!]**

The next morning, Arnold and Gerald were on the bus, headed to school.

"Stop playin' me, man," Gerald's incredulous expression was to be expected. Arnold was in the middle of telling Gerald about the Helga/Cecile revelation.

"I can't believe I didn't see it before, Gerald," Arnold was looking down at his lap as he fidgeted with his hands. "I just… I don't know what to do… I know it sounds crazy but somehow knowing _she_ was Cecile all along…"

Gerald grasped Arnold by the shoulders, looking him in the eye. "Get ahold of yourself, Arnold! This is _Helga G. Pataki_ we're talking about here! The girl who, for as long as any of us can remember, has called you names, picked on you, threatened you, pushed you around, YOU NAME IT! And now you're trying to tell me, that after all that, you think you might be _into HER_?"

Arnold released himself from Gerald's grasp. "No! Of course not, I mean I… well…" Arnold sighed. "I don't know," He leaned back against the bus seat, letting out a frustrated sigh and staring up at the worn metal ceiling of the bus. "I don't know how to feel exactly… I keep having these _thoughts _about her…"

"Oh _no_, I don't need to hear about any freaky stuff, Arnold. You tryin' to scar me for _life_?"

"Gerald!" Arnold snapped up, his cheeks turning pink. "I didn't mean like _that_! Jeez, you've been hanging around Jamie-O too much… I meant like, thinking about the times I've seen her actually acting nice, plus that night when she was dressed as Cecile… I mean, you were there Gerald. You remember how… amazing…"

"Alright, alright, you're tryin' to make me blow chunks," Gerald cut him off and Arnold gave him a serious look. "But yeah, I remember – you were pretty sprung off that chick… I just can't believe it was _Helga_! I never would've guessed that… Why was she there, though?"

"She won't tell me… but I have this feeling I already know. I just don't want to ask her directly because if I'm wrong then that'd be pretty embarrassing,"

"What, you think she likes you or somethin'? Like… _likes you_ likes you?" Gerald's eyebrows were raised and his curiosity piqued.

"Well, I dunno… maybe," Arnold looked back down at his lap, avoiding eye contact as another blush started to claim his cheeks.

"Mmm-mmm-mmm," Gerald shook his head, sitting back against the seat. "I never thought I'd see the day,"

"The day when what?"

Gerald smirked and leaned forward, trying to reach into his leg cast to scratch but to no avail. "Arnold, I know you, man. And I've known you for practically our whole lives, so I know when my man's crushin',"

. . . . . . . .

Later that afternoon, the gang was in gym class playing basketball, except Arnold and Gerald, who were sitting on a bench on the side of the gymnasium. They wouldn't be allowed to participate in gym class for a while still so they were stuck watching their friends play.

"Bored yet?" Gerald sighed.

Arnold looked up at Gerald with a dull expression. "You have no idea…"

Gerald chuckled. "So what do you plan to do about your Pataki problem?"

Arnold crossed his arms, sliding down on the bench, "For once, Gerald, I don't think I have a plan for this one…"

Gerald thought for a moment, "What if you weren't necessarily alone when you hung out with her? I mean, you don't necessarily have to talk about all the heavy stuff right away, do you?"

"I guess not," Arnold sat up, listening.

"Alright then, what if I came over to your place and brought Phoebe who would nonchalantly invite Helga. We could chill, watch a movie or somethin', then at some point you could try and talk to Helga alone? I dunno, Phoebe and I could leave the room or something,"

"That might work," Arnold considered. "I think Helga would be a lot more likely to come if Phoebe came, too."

"Don't worry about that, my man. I've got it covered," Gerald winked and looked over at Phoebe as she ran down the court, ball in hand and an uncharacteristic fury in her eyes.

She took her shot and the ball rolled along the rim for a second before going in. Phoebe looked over at Gerald and instantly her mild-mannered disposition returned as she giggled, realizing he'd been watching her the whole time.

. . . . . . . .

"No way, Pheebs," Helga shook her head into the phone even though no one could see her. It was about five-thirty now and Helga was slouched on the living room couch, eating a bag of chips and watching TV. "I ain't goin' over to the _Football-head's_ house – do you realize how awkward that'd be? He _knows_, Phoebe. I know he does, he just hasn't come out and said it exactly. Probably due to his kind, giving nature…" she sighed. "He doesn't want to reject me outright but –"

"Oh, Helga, come on. You knew this day would come sooner or later. Don't you want to know for sure? After all these years…?" Phoebe coaxed.

Helga hesitated, sighing. "Criminy, Pheebs. I'm not ready for this. He wasn't supposed to find out, not yet at least,"

"What if you're wrong? What if you don't get the answer you're expecting? You will never know for sure until you face your fears and tell him how you really feel. Besides, you could say you came with me for… moral support," Phoebe reasoned.

Helga thought for a moment. It wasn't likely that Arnold would dive into such a personal conversation with her with their best friends right there. And if she had a valid excuse for coming, then maybe it could work.

Helga sighed in resignation, "Alright, Pheebs, I'll go. I'll meet you at your house after dinner and we'll head over there,"

Phoebe squealed. "Wonderful! I can't wait!"

"Yeah… why do I feel like I'm gonna regret this?" Helga rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Helga, you won't. I'll see you soon! Bye!"

. . . . . . . .

That evening, Arnold opened his front door to Helga and Phoebe. Arnold felt his heart race when he saw Helga standing there but he tried to remain calm, despite the adrenaline rush.

He cleared his throat. "Hey guys, what's up?"

Gerald came out from behind him.

"Hi Gerald," Phoebe cooed sweetly and Helga rolled her eyes, arms crossed.

"Hey there," Gerald winked.

Arnold opened the door wider, stepping out of the way to let the girls in.

"So, why are we here exactly, Hairboy?" Helga let the sarcastic tone drip from her tongue as the four moved into the living room.

Arnold rolled his eyes. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. It was _Helga_ he was dealing with, but he had to try.

"We're just chillin'," Gerald cut in. "Is there somethin' wrong with that? Does it make you… uncomfortable?" He raised an eyebrow at Helga and Arnold elbowed him in the side.

"Ooph! Hey, why –"

"No real reason, we just thought it'd be fun to hang out is all," Arnold said as he looked at Helga innocently.

_I know you've got something up your sleeve, Football-head. And don't you worry, 'cause I'll figure it out. You can't fool Helga. G. Pataki. _Helga thought to herself as her eyes locked with Arnold's. She almost wished she could send telepathic messages.

"How about a movie?" Arnold suggested, picking up the TV remote.

"That sounds delightful! What should we watch?" Phoebe inquired.

"I think I can get WebFilms on this TV and we could watch something that's on instant play," Arnold flipped through various menus on the TV before a variety of options showed up on the screen.

They searched through the movies available for streaming, commenting on some here and there.

"Evil Twin IV? Sold!" Helga leaned back on the couch, putting her hands behind her head. She was sitting next to Arnold with Phoebe on her other side. Gerald was sitting on the floor in front of Phoebe.

"Nice choice!" Arnold commented, selecting the icon. "Aw man… it's only available through mail delivery; it's not on instant play,"

They continued to scroll through movie titles before Phoebe leaned forward and squealed in excitement. Gerald cringed, as his ear had been closest to the high-pitched sound.

"The Notepad!"

"Phoebe, come _on. _That's nothin' but some sappy, girly, tear-jerking stupid love story. Give me a break," Helga scoffed.

"For your information, The Notepad won a number of awards and is an _excellent_ movie! Oh, please can we watch it?"

Gerald smiled, getting up from the floor to sit on Phoebe's other side. "Yeah, let's watch it,"

Arnold turned to Gerald, giving him an "_Are you kidding me?_" look to which Gerald simply responded with a thumbs-up and a wink.

Arnold sighed, "Alright, I guess we're watching The Notepad…" Arnold selected the movie and it began to load.

"Oh brother…" Helga rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and slouching farther down on the couch.

. . . . . . . .

"Would you scoot over, Football-head? Criminy, stop hogging the couch, would ya?" Helga whispered harshly as she readjusted herself, pulling her feet up underneath her.

Arnold furrowed his brow at her but moved over a little to accommodate before returning his attention to the movie.

"_They didn't agree on much. In fact, they rarely agreed on anything. They fought all the time and challenged each other every day. But despite their differences, they had one important thing in common. They were crazy about each other…_"

Arnold's ears pricked up at the voiceover. That description hit a little close to home but he shook his head of the thought.

A while later into the movie, Arnold looked over at Gerald and Phoebe. Gerald had his arm around Phoebe and she had snuggled up to him a bit. Turning his attention to Helga, he saw that she actually seemed to be getting into the movie. Her gaze was focused on the TV and in the darkened living room, the light from the screen bounced around in her eyes.

_Should I put my arm around her, too?_ Arnold's heart raced at the idea. He couldn't believe he was even considering it but a surge of adrenaline was coursing through his veins. He took a breath and nonchalantly leaned back, trying to inconspicuously reach an arm around Helga's shoulders.

She pretended she didn't notice but the moment she realized what was happening, she froze, wide-eyed.

_Holy crap. Don't move, don't move. What is he _doing_? Okay, Helga ol' girl, just stay still. This is good. If you move, he'll realize what he's doing and it'll stop._

Helga's body remained rigid as Arnold successfully put his arm around her. He smiled, still feeling his pulse in his ears, as he looked back to the TV.

_They were now at the part where Amy and Nate had found each other after years of separation and were coming back from a boat-ride on the lake. It had been a beautiful, touching moment until rain began to pour. They pulled their boat up alongside the pier and Nate was securing it to a pole as Amy started to walk back to land. She stopped and turned back to Nate._

_"Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late." Amy was soaking wet from the heavy summer rain._

_Nate looked up at her, also soaked. _

_"I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you every day for a year."_

_"You wrote me?" Amy asked, surprised._

_Nate approached her. "Yes... it wasn't over for me… it still isn't over." The two united in a passionate kiss._

Arnold looked at Helga who still seemed to be fascinated by the movie. He hadn't expected her to get caught up in a "chick-flick" but it was becoming more and more clear to him that there was a lot of stuff he didn't know or understand about her. And to his surprise, the more he realized he didn't know, the stronger his desire to learn became.

Maybe a half hour later, the movie was finally coming to an end. Phoebe had started crying when older Nate watched older Amy as she was being restrained by the nurses. Now older Nate and older Amy were in her room, cuddled up on the bed and saying goodnight.

_"Do you think our love, can take us away together?"_

_"I think our love can do anything we want it to."_

_"I love you."_

_"I love you, Amy."_

_"Good night."_

_"Good night. I'll be seeing you."_

The movie came to a bittersweet end as the couple passed away, together. As the credit began to roll, Arnold stood up and walked over to a lamp to brighten the room.

Helga quickly wiped her watery eyes as Phoebe openly allowed her tears to slide down her cheeks.

"That was so beautiful," Phoebe commented, smiling.

"Yeah, if you like that kind of mushy crap…" Helga retorted sarcastically, trying to hide a slight sniffle.

Arnold looked at the time. He hadn't gotten to talk to Helga yet and it was already past nine o' clock.

"Hey uh… Helga, could you help me with something really quick?" He tried to think on his feet.

She raised an eyebrow. "With _what_?"

"Umm… I had a question for you… about… About one of the worksheets I have to make up!"

Helga sat up, putting a hand on one hip. "What are you asking _me_ for?"

Phoebe elbowed Helga in the side and nodded her head sharply toward Arnold. _Go! _She mouthed.

Helga glared at Phoebe for a second, rubbing her side and rolling her eyes before she sat up and followed Arnold out of the room.

Phoebe turned her attention back to Gerald who was sniffling.

"Gerald…? Are you… crying?"

Gerald's head snapped up. "What? Oh, no, no… I just… Somethin' in my eye, that's all. Don't worry 'bout it, okay, babe?" He turned away from her.

Phoebe giggled and lay her head against his shoulder, smiling.

. . . . . . . .

"So, what's the question, Football-head?" Helga shifted her weight to one hip and crossed her arms once they reached the foyer.

"Look, it isn't actually about my homework…" Arnold confessed.

"Doi!" Helga rolled her eyes but it was obvious she was growing more and more uncomfortable every second.

Arnold looked down at his feet sheepishly. "I still wanted to talk to you about stuff… between us…" The adrenaline rush was back and Arnold couldn't explain why Helga all of a sudden was having this effect on him lately.

"Yeah, I figured," Helga rubbed her neck uncomfortably.

"Hey Helga!" Phoebe's voice came from the living room before she and Gerald came around the corner, interrupting them. "I'm so sorry for interrupting but I just saw the time and Mother is going to be furious if I'm not home in the next fifteen minutes!"

Arnold groaned quietly. _When am I gonna get to talk to her?_

"Right, okay Pheebs. Gimme a minute and we'll go," Helga nodded. She looked back at Arnold.

Phoebe and Gerald realized they'd intruded on something important and tried to casually slip back into the other room.

"I guess it has to wait…" Arnold sighed.

Helga gulped. Why did he seem so disappointed? "Yeah, uh… I'll see you around, okay Football-head?" She smiled weakly.

Arnold returned her expression. "Yeah… definitely,"

Helga called out, "Alright Pheebs, let's go! I'm not tryin' to be here all night, ya know!"

"Hurrying!" Phoebe came back into the foyer and the two left.

Arnold closed the door behind them, turning around and leaning back against it, exasperated.

"So, how'd it go?" Gerald asked.

Arnold looked up at him and sighed, "This isn't gonna be easy…"

**[A/N: The movie scenes and quotes described above are from "The Notebook" and I don't own anything having to do with them! Just like I don't own anything having to do with Hey Arnold.]**


	10. Chapter 10

**[A/N: Hey guys! Not exactly sure how I feel about this chapter but we're getting somewhere! Hope you like it! Let me know what you think! :) ]**

Unfortunately for Arnold, time after time that he tried to talk to Helga privately, they were interrupted in one way or another. Sometimes a friend would unknowingly intrude on the conversation, or Mrs. Cohen would tell them to come in the room in the morning because class was starting. He didn't want to have this conversation over the phone so he hadn't tried calling her. Somehow every attempt ended up being foiled in some manner or another, yet Arnold kept trying. However, part of him was feeling like maybe Helga _really_ didn't want to talk about it and that, knowing her, maybe she'd _arranged_ the interruptions.

They had a _very_ awkward moment in December during gym class.

Arnold had finally gotten permission from his doctor to participate in the class, so long as his activities weren't excessively strenuous. He'd gotten his stitches out and had multiple follow-up tests done to make sure everything was healing correctly. To his relief, each test came up with normal results and after a couple months, no one would've known that he'd been in such a horrible accident. The only remaining reminder of the incident was a short patch of hair on a small section of the back of his head where they'd shaved him to do the surgery.

One day after gym class, Arnold had gotten caught up talking to the teacher, Mr. Logan, about his recovery, what he was able to do, and what he still couldn't do. The rest of the students had gone to the locker rooms and most of them had already emerged in their normal clothes, heading to their next class.

"It's good to have you back, Arnold. We needed you for the basketball unit," Mr. Logan smiled and sent Arnold on his way with a note excusing him for being late to his next class.

Arnold lost himself in thought as he crossed the gymnasium and headed for the locker rooms. He was glad to be off the bench in gym class again but that wasn't on the top of his priority list these days. He still couldn't understand it but he felt drawn to Helga, fascinated by everything he'd learned about her in such a short amount of time. She still hadn't answered any of his most pertinent questions and his curiosity was driving him crazy. He wanted her to explain how and why she'd created the Cecile persona, and why she'd been at the hospital to see him, yet didn't want to admit it. The longer he thought about Helga, the more questions he wanted answered. He wanted to understand her. He had an idea of why she acted the way she did – there was something she was covering up because she had her own insecurities - but now, her actions seemed to involve him more and more and he was ready for an explanation.

Nevermind the fact that he'd reflected on a lot of their memories together and had realized some… inconsistencies… in her behavior. Like, why was it that the few times he had hugged her, it took her a minute to push him away? If she had actually disliked him, wouldn't that reaction be something automatic? Or, even though it'd only happened a few times, why had she felt the need to jump into _his_ arms that time they were in the caves of Elk Island searching for Wheezin' Ed? Or the time they were trying to save Mighty Pete and the runaway bulldozer was headed straight for the tree. She'd jumped into his arms then and it'd sure taken her a while to realize what was happening before she acted like she was repulsed by him again.

Thinking about times like those made him smile. He kind of liked it when Helga would let her guard down a little bit, even if it was brief. He'd always cared about her – ever since the first day he met her in preschool. Something about that girl had always been an intriguing mystery that, as frustrating as she was sometimes, he was dying to understand.

Arnold was so caught up with his thoughts that he wasn't paying attention to where he was walking. His gaze was down and he never noticed that the locker room door he pulled open had a symbol on the outside of a person wearing a skirt.

The locker room was empty, or so it seemed, but Arnold was still lost in his daydreamer state. The inside of the boys and girls locker rooms were almost identical, so it was understandable that he wouldn't notice the difference since there wasn't anyone around.

Arnold turned a corner and all of a sudden he realized he wasn't alone. He also realized this was not the boy's locker room.

"AGHHHHH!" Helga screamed as she scrambled, yanking her gym shirt off the bench and covering herself.

She had been late leaving the locker room because she'd forgotten to do a math worksheet that was due in the next class. She had stayed behind, hurrying to finish the worksheet and was now in the middle of changing. She still had her gym shorts on but her shirt had been sitting on the bench when Arnold came around the corner, a frilly pink training bra exposed.

When Arnold realized what had happened, his face turned a deep beat red. "I, I-I.. I'm-" He stammered, trying with all of his might to not look at Helga's exposed skin.

"GET _OUT!" _Helga yelled, her face also flushed with embarrassment.

Arnold gulped, quickly darting out of the locker room, the image of Helga imprinted in his mind.

Needless to say, that little encounter had made further attempts at having a serious conversation even more awkward. Every time Arnold saw her, heat rose to his cheeks as a mental image of that frilly pink bra popped into his head. He did his best to shake the thought from his mind but it didn't always work. Sometimes he didn't want it to.

By Christmas, they still hadn't had any significant interactions. School had let out for the holiday a few days before Christmas Eve and Arnold had slipped a handwritten Christmas card into Helga's mailbox. Unfortunately, he never got a response.

_"Merry Christmas, Helga._

_I hope you have a great holiday. I know your family drives you nuts sometimes but I hope you can still enjoy your time with them. I'm sure that, even if it doesn't always seem like it, they treasure their time with you, deep down. Who wouldn't?_

_I also hope your Christmas is everything you want it to be. You deserve it._

_I hope I hear from you soon. And again, I'm sorry about that whole… locker room thing…_

_-Arnold."_

He had erased and re-written that letter about a dozen times, constantly re-thinking his wording and wondering whether or not it could be taken as flirting. He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to say so the process had been a bit stressful. However, he couldn't help thinking that if it _did_ come off as flirting… well… maybe that wouldn't be so bad…

. . . . . . . .

It was now February and Valentine's day was steadily approaching. The hallways were decorated with strings of cut-out paper hearts and posters were hung on every bulletin board advertising the Valentine's dance.

"So you're gonna ask her, right?" Gerald asked Arnold who was leaning against his desk, one hand supporting his head as he found his way out of another daydream.

"What? Who? Huh?" Arnold became alert once again, only vaguely having heard Gerald's question.

"Arnold, it's been months and you've been moping around in this lovesick daze, driving me _nuts_! I can't say I understand it, but as your best friend I gotta say, if you honestly like her this much, _do_ something about it!" Gerald reasoned.

"You're right," Arnold sighed. "I just don't even know where to begin with her. I'm just as surprised by everything as you are… I guess,"

"Whatever you say, Arnold. I'm just tired of seein' you fallin' all over yourself whenever she comes into the room," Gerald reached into his own desk, pulling out a notebook. Mrs. Cohen would be walking into the room at any minute to begin class.

A poster by the door caught Arnold's attention. "What if I invited her to the Valentine's Day dance?"

"_Really,_ Arnold?" Gerald raised one eyebrow. "You take _all _this time, months, and your big plan is something as _simple_ as asking her to the _dance?_" Gerald's expression was incredulous.

Arnold considered for a moment and nodded.

Gerald shrugged. "I guess that might work,"

"It wouldn't hurt to try,"

. . . . . . . .

By noon, Arnold was standing outside the lunchroom, watching Helga at her table with Phoebe and trying to get up the nerve to ask her to the dance.

Gerald was behind him, trying to be patient. "Come on, man. Just do it already!"

Arnold took a breath and started to head into the cafeteria but halted, turning back to Gerald.

"What if she says no?"

Gerald groaned, rubbing his temples. "This is never gonna end,"

"Seriously, Gerald. What if she just blows up on me and doesn't even consider it?"

"Alright," Gerald sighed. "Then _don't _ask her in front of everyone. But you gotta bring it up somehow,"

Arnold walked past Gerald, staring at the ground, his face contemplative. Gerald watched his friend pace back and forth.

"I've got it!" Arnold exclaimed, stopping suddenly and startling Gerald. "I'll leave her a secret admirer note!"

"Oh _yeah, _good plan," Gerald patted Arnold on the back. "_That's _not obvious at _all!"_

"Do you have any better ideas?" Arnold crossed his arms.

Gerald sighed in resignation. "Alright, man, what do you wanna do?"

"I'll make her the card, sign it with "_your secret admirer"_ and leave it in her locker. I can either ask her to meet me at the dance or I'll arrange for Grandpa to stop by her house for us to pick her up or something,"

"You really think that's gonna work?"

Arnold stole a glance back at Helga in the cafeteria, talking to Phoebe and taking a bite of her sandwich. "It's gotta work, Gerald. It's just gotta!"

. . . . . . . .

Later that afternoon, after the final bell had rung, Gerald covered Arnold as he snuck down the hallway to Helga's locker.

He'd made a small pink heart valentine during Social Studies with Helga's name carefully written in cursive.

_"Helga,_

_It wouldn't be Valentine's Day if I didn't share it with you. I'd like to take you to the Valentine's dance. Please meet me at the school Friday night at six thirty. I hope I see you there._

_-Your Secret Admirer"_

"Is it obvious I wrote it?" Arnold had asked Gerald during class.

Gerald gave him a look. "Do you _really_ want me to answer that?"

Now, Arnold had reached Helga's locker and looked up and down the halls to make sure neither her nor Phoebe were in sight. There were massive crowds of kids, eager to make their way out of the building, but no sign of Helga or anyone else who might blab. He quickly slipped the invitation through the vent at the top of the locker and resumed a casual pace down the hallway, headed home.


	11. Chapter 11

**[A/N: This one was a fun one to write! You'll see why. Thanks for all of the reviews! It means a lot to me.]**

"What's that in your hand, Helga?"

Phoebe and Helga were sitting together on the bus ride home. Helga was holding the little pink heart close, but eyeing it suspiciously.

"Oh, this? Um, nothing," Helga came out of her thoughts abruptly, trying to hide the card behind her back.

Phoebe furrowed her brow. "Helga, you can't fool me. You've been staring at that card for ten minutes now. Is it a valentine?" Phoebe's smile stretched from ear to ear.

Helga rolled her eyes and responded sarcastically, "No Phoebe, it's the water bill," she sighed, handing over the card. "Look,"

Phoebe carefully examined the card, opening it up to read the message inside. Another grin appeared on her face. "Helga…" she looked up at her friend in excitement.

"Ohhh no," Helga crossed her arms, shaking her head. "I'm not going. Any _idiot_ could tell who it's from,"

"Exactly! So why wouldn't you want to go?" Phoebe felt like she was more excited by this turn of events than Helga was.

"Because!" Helga shouted but then quieted her voice when the kids in front of her turned around with a dirty look. "Because, it's just too awkward, okay? I feel like this is happening too fast. He wasn't supposed to find out about the Cecile thing and we still haven't talked and… _criminy_, Phoebe, he saw me without my shirt on!"

Phoebe giggled but continued to press Helga. "Helga, it's been months since your… incident… with Arnold. Besides, you aren't making any sense. You _love_ Arno-"

Helga slapped a hand across Phoebe's mouth and anxiously looked around the bus, checking to make sure no one heard what was almost said. "Phoebe! What is the _matter_ with you?!"

"I'm sorry Helga but you're being quite ridiculous. This is Arnold. And this is a _good_ sign! He wouldn't go to this sort of trouble if he was going to reject you! Your paranoia is clouding your judgment,"

Helga considered that for a moment. Phoebe was right. This was something to be exciting about! So what if he saw her in her frilly pink training bra? As embarrassing as that was, it wouldn't be like Arnold to make a fuss over it. He was probably more embarrassed than she was, considering the fact it was his fault. The important thing that she needed to grasp was that _Arnold_ had sent _her _an invitation to the dance! He was _asking her out_! Helga's heart skipped a beat and she felt like she was melting into a puddle as she gazed at the back of Arnold's head. He was sitting about half a dozen rows up with Gerald and Sid.

_Oh, my love. Could it truly be? Could my every girlhood dream be coming true? Oh hush, my trembling heart, eagerly awaiting your love that would soon envelop it in eternal bliss…_

"Helga!" Phoebe waved a hand in front of her best friend's face. "You're doing it again!"

"What?" Helga shook her head. "Oh, sorry Pheebs,"

"Please tell me you're going to go!" Phoebe pleaded. "…Are you going to go?"

Helga gave Phoebe a smirk. "Doi! Of _course_ I'm gonna go!"

. . . . . . . .

Friday came and after school Helga was hastily flipping through her closet for something to wear. She pulled out the Cecile dress and held it against her, considering.

"Not a chance," she said, tossing the dress carelessly behind her. "It's gonna be awkward enough,"

. . . . . . . .

By six twenty-five, Helga was standing against the side of the front steps of the school, hidden from her arriving classmates. However, since the dance wasn't scheduled to start until seven, there hadn't been many people to hide from in the first place.

She'd finally settled on another dress that had made its home in the back of her closet, untouched. It was a knee-length fuchsia dress that hooked behind the neck in a halter-style. The ruffled texture at the bottom brought it to life while two pieces of the fabric at the chest crossed one another, coming together as a bow in the back.

Somehow, she had managed to find a place in that dress to store her locket. She looked around to make sure no one was coming before she pulled it out, gazing at it adoringly.

"Oh Arnold, my heart desperately awaits your arrival, pounding anxiously against that which confines it. Could this be the moment? The moment when love bears all, revealing every guarded secret I've harbored all of these years… but you somehow knew it all along… Somehow in that football-shaped head of yours, you've seen through my brusque façade and into my tortured soul, releasing every pent-up emotion that's begged for years to be set free! Oh, _my love_…"

A familiar wheezing sound behind her, Helga scowled. She slipped her locket back into her dress and without looking, raised her fist, punching Brainy in the face.

"Helga?" Arnold appeared, peering around the steps. _What's Brainy doing here?_

"Arnold!" Helga jumped. "Uh, hi…" She felt her palms becoming sweaty as she noticed Arnold in his handsome suit. Black dress pants, a crisp white shirt, and he was even wearing a matching jacket!

"Hey! Is he… is he okay?" Arnold raised an eyebrow, looking past Helga at Brainy. His glasses were broken and his face crumpled as he lay in a heap on the sidewalk. Yet, he was smiling.

"Oh yeah, he's fine," Helga waved a hand nonchalantly as she came out from behind the steps, approaching Arnold.

Arnold took one more concerned look at Brainy before he turned his attention to Helga.

Once he allowed himself to take in her image, he felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Her dress accentuated her hidden femininity and he was surprised she even owned such a garment. She was wearing only a little mascara and had her long blonde hair down and pulled to the side with a bobby pin.

_Wow, she looks incredible with her hair down…_

Helga broke the awkward quiet. "So…"

Arnold shook his head, dispelling his daydreams. "I, umm… I see you got my card…" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Helga rolled her eyes, "Doi!"

Arnold went to speak but his voice cracked. "I-I-" He cleared his throat to start again. "I'm glad you came," He looked away, hoping she wouldn't notice the slight blush coming to his cheeks.

Helga also averted her eyes, "Yeah, well… it's not like I had anything _better_ to do…" Her tone, though sarcastic, was softer now.

Arnold looked back up at her, gulping. "You look… uhh… umm…"

Helga met his gaze, furrowing her brow. "Spit it _out,_ Hairboy,"

Helga swooned in her head. _He's so _nervous_!_

"_Amazing_," Arnold's voice cracked and Helga couldn't help but laugh before she realized the content of his statement.

"Oh…" She looked down at herself, blushing furiously, then back at Arnold. "Uhh… thanks,"

Helga felt like her face was on fire, her heartbeat pounding in her ears as she stood in front of Arnold, neither one of them making another move.

"I actually had this idea… on my way here," Arnold rubbed his neck nervously. "And I was wondering, if maybe… well, if instead of going to the dance, you might be hungry?"

Helga raised an eyebrow (so to speak), "What are you getting at, Arnold?"

"Like, dinner… would you want to get dinner with me…instead of going to the dance?" Arnold felt like every hair on his body was on end. How was it that Helga could make him feel like this? So unsure of himself, so nervous…

Helga looked puzzled. She crossed her arms, "And what if I was really _looking forward_ to the dance, Football-head?" She honestly couldn't care less. She was basically on a date with Arnold and that's all that mattered but that didn't mean she couldn't still give him a hard time.

When his face fell, she chuckled. "Let's go," she looped her arm around his, allowing him to escort her. "Where were you thinking?"

Arnold beamed at her acceptance and teased her back, "I guess you'll just have to find out,"

"Oh brother,"

. . . . . . . .

Arnold led Helga around a corner and stopped. "Here we are!"

She looked up at the familiar décor of the restaurant. Her muscles tensed and her pulse sped up again.

_Chez Paris. Criminy, of _course_ he would bring me here! _

Arnold must have known what was going through Helga's mind because he couldn't contain his grin.

"Come on, I already got us a reservation!"

"You did _what_?" Helga's surprised question went unanswered as Arnold excitedly pulled her in the direction of the front entrance.

Once inside, Helga felt even more anxious than she had before. Arnold had arranged for them to have the very same table they had on Valentine's Day two years ago.

Arnold, ever the gentleman, pulled Helga's chair out for her and her eyes never left him as she tentatively took a seat. He pushed her in and sat in the chair across from her.

They were both undoubtedly nervous, making pitiful attempts at small talk as they awaited the introduction of their waiter.

Arnold took a sip of his complementary glass of water. "So…"

Helga fidgeted with the ruffles on her dress. "So…"

"How'd you do on the math quiz?" Arnold asked, desperate for a topic. He had memorized everything he wanted to ask her earlier that day but somehow being around her made his well-organized questions turn into a chaotic assortment of ideas.

"Fine… How are you doing with all your make-up work?" Helga took a sip of her water.

"It's okay. I missed the whole poetry unit for language arts," An idea struck him and he grinned mischievously. Helga noticed his expression and her eyes widened, wary. "Maybe you could help me sometime… _Anonymous_…"

Helga just about spit out her water all over the table. She coughed, wiping her mouth with her napkin and stammered, "I-I… Wh-what are you talking about?" She laughed nervously, clearing her throat.

"Ya know, I always wondered who wrote all of those poems that Mr. Simmons loved so much," Arnold was on a roll but yet still too nervous to look Helga in the eye. "'_The boy with the cornflower hair, my beloved and my despair,'" _He quoted. "' _Each morn, I see you bend to drink from love's own crystal pool. I tremble near you, try to think. Will I forever say, "You stink"?'_" He laughed a little, smiling.

Helga's heart was in her throat and she felt like she could throw up. _Oh… my… god…_

"How did you…?"

"I saw some of your poetry and recognized the style… those poems…" Arnold was feeling bashful again. "They were about… me, weren't they?"

Helga fanned herself, "Well, I, they… _criminy_, why is it so hot in here?"

Arnold laughed a little, feeling bold and finally making eye contact. "I could take a guess…"

His eyes were burning, taking her image in, and Helga froze like a deer in the headlights. Her heart was _racing_ and the adrenaline in her system made her want to run out the door.

She breathed a sigh of relief when their waiter, Jacques, appeared, ready to take their orders.

_Sheesh, do they only have _one _waiter in this whole stinkin' restaurant? He's always here._

In a thick French accent, he greeted them, "Good evening, _Mademoiselle… Monsieur. _Welcome to _Le Chez Paris. _May I take your order?"

Now that Helga had the opportunity to calm down, she pulled out her menu, ordering first. "Hey there, Jacques. I'll have the… Duck ala orange," She handed him the menu and took a sip of water as Arnold ordered with much better pronunciation.

"The _pattie de foie gras_, please,"

"Very nice choice," Jacques collected Arnold's menu and left them alone once again.

Arnold watched Helga as she continued to fidget, this time wringing her hands together.

He spoke, "So, no _calf brains and eggs_ this time, Helga?" His smirk reappeared. Teasing Helga was kind of fun.

Helga jumped, knocking her silverware against her glass with a clang. "_Criminy!_ Are you just going to bring up every embarrassing thing you know about me, Football-head? Is _that _why you brought me here?"

Arnold stifled a chuckle, "No, Helga. I'm sorry. I just wanted to spend time with you," He felt his cheeks turning pink but he smiled. "I have the best of intentions, I promise," He held up his right hand, accompanied by a serious face.

Helga rolled her eyes, "Alright, good,"

Their conversations continued like this even after they received and dug into their food.

Helga picked at remnants on her plate, "Man I'm s_tuffed_,"

"Yeah, me too," Arnold put his napkin on his empty plate and opened the bill Jacques had left on the table. He slipped the cash Grandpa had given him into the little folder and set it back on the edge of the table.

Helga sighed and Arnold couldn't help but feel enamored. If someone had told him six months ago he'd be feeling so entranced by Helga Pataki, he probably would've laughed in their face. But he knew he'd always held a soft spot in his heart for her.

Arnold stood up and took a step to Helga. She watched him with curiosity as he offered her a hand.

"Do you wanna take a walk?"

**[A/N: Hope you guys liked that! Let me know what you think! Also, I was wondering: do you guys think I keep them in character enough? Keeping in mind they're two years older now but still, do their personalities seem appropriate? That's something I always try to strive for when I write. Thanks for all of the feedback!]**


	12. Chapter 12

**[A/N: On to the fluff!] **

By the time seven o'clock rolled around, Phoebe and Gerald had met up at the school, wondering where their friends could be.

"Did they happen to tell you where they'd be, Gerald?" Phoebe asked as she stood with Gerald in the hallway. Thundering synthetic beats still managed to make their way from the gymnasium to the hallway outside.

Gerald was entranced by the way Phoebe looked in her baby blue dress but forced himself to stay focused. "Oh," he said, snapping to attention, "They didn't tell you anything?"

"No, and I can't help but be worried. What if something's happened to them?" Phoebe looked around, hoping to catch sight of Helga and Arnold.

"Phoebe, re-_lax_. It's only seven; they're probably running late," Gerald reassured her.

Phoebe sighed, nodding, "You're probably right. Let's go inside," She smiled.

Gerald offered her an arm and they went into the gymnasium to join their friends.

. . . . . . . .

It wasn't until after they got outside that Arnold and Helga realized it was pretty cold to be taking a walk.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to, Helga," Arnold offered.

Helga rubbed her arms in an effort to stay warm but she was stubborn, "I'm fine, Arnoldo. Trust me, I'll tell you otherwise if I'm not,"

Arnold shrugged, smiling as they started walking.

_Criminy, it's freaking cold! The things I do for love, I'm tellin' ya… _Helga thought to herself as she blew warm air into her hands and rubbed them together.

Arnold could feel Helga's goose bumps every time her arm brushed past his. Without a word, he took off his jacket and put it around Helga's shoulders. She faltered for a second, taken aback by the sudden gesture but smiled to herself as they continued walking.

"Thanks," Helga re-adjusted the jacket.

Arnold smiled, "Of course,"

_Now what do I do? I gotta bring this stuff up sooner or later. How am I supposed to start? _

Helga and Arnold walked aimlessly until they realized they were headed for the park. Arnold had one arm held gently behind Helga's back, escorting her, as she fidgeted with her hands.

_Oh man, I can't believe this is happening. _

Arnold broke the silence after they'd made their way into the park. "Even though it's cold, it's beautiful out tonight…"

Helga looked around and was barely impressed, "Eh, it's okay," She shrugged.

"Are you kidding?" Arnold stopped walking as they reached the edge of the pond. The moon's reflection rippled in the water as a lone duck swam to the other side. The sky had an interesting color scheme of purples and oranges, with stratus clouds approaching in the distance. Above them, a full moon beamed.

"Look at that moon, Helga. I don't think I've ever seen it look brighter," He gazed dreamily up at the moon, barely realizing he was still holding Helga close.

Helga laughed to herself at Arnold's daydreamer nature. She couldn't help but feel a serene calm with Arnold's arm around her. The air was still and there wasn't another soul in sight, probably due to the temperature. She looked up at the moon, smiling. "Oh swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon that monthly changes in her circled orb…"

Arnold turned his attention back to Helga rather quickly. "You still remember that?" He grinned, impressed by her recitation of Juliet's line from their school play.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Nothing," Arnold smiled and continued walking along the water's edge with Helga in tow.

Helga's heartbeat had finally settled down and been replaced by a calm sense of relaxation. She was on a _romantic_ walk in the park with _Arnold_. It felt like another one of her daydreams but somehow, this was reality. As much as her mind was spinning, she was slowly but surely letting herself enjoy it.

They came to a bench and sat down. Helga pulled Arnold's jacket tighter as a rough wind whipped past them, sending their hair into blonde whirlwinds before allowing it to settle back into place.

Helga pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes as she looked down at the reflection in the water. There she was, with Arnold's jacket around her and Arnold himself by her side. She noticed his reflection as well, staring at her. She faced him and he looked away, blushing.

Helga smirked, leaning back against the bench and looking up at the sky. The clouds were beginning to creep in, making their way toward the moon and taking away some of their light.

. . . . . . . .

"Gerald, it's almost nine o'clock and I still haven't seen Helga or Arnold," Phoebe said as Gerald returned from the boys' bathroom.

"Man, that's so weird," Gerald tried to think of where Arnold could've gone with Helga without telling him. _Maybe Arnold was wrong and after he told her he liked her she killed him…_

"I think we should tell Principal Wartz," Phoebe suggested. "Just in case something is wrong,"

. . . . . . . .

"Helga, I need to ask you something," Arnold's gaze was fixated on his lap as he twiddled his thumb.

Helga took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She knew this was coming.

She sighed, surrendering to the inevitable. "Go for it…" She braced herself for the most difficult questions.

"I don't even know where to start," Arnold forced a laugh at himself, never looking up. "I've been dying to talk to you and ask you about so many different things for so long that it's just a jumbled up mess in my head…"

Helga remained quiet as Arnold continued. "I guess… is it true that you really came to see me every day at the hospital?" Arnold ventured a glance.

Helga raised an eyebrow. _That is not the question I was expecting. _

"Umm…" she rubbed her neck, diverting her eyes back to the pond. "Yeah," Her voice was barely audible.

"Why?" Arnold looked up at her and felt like he could get lost in her eyes. He watched as the light of the moon bounced from the pond's surface and into her eyes, twinkling.

Helga felt anxious. This was the perfect moment to let her guard down completely but she couldn't help but feel hesitant. Regardless, she spoke truthfully, "I was worried about you…"

Arnold nodded, looking down at the pond as the same duck they'd seen before waddled up onto the bank on the other side. "What about the whole… "Cecile" thing? Why did you dress up like her at the hospital? Or, in the first place, actually…"

Now it was getting tough. Helga leaned forward on the bench, holding onto the seat with her hands as she let out a breath. "I wanted…" She looked down at the grass at her feet. "I wanted to… be with you…" Her heart felt like it was in her throat. She imagined herself choking on the pulsing organ.

"All that stuff you said that night… you said you liked me… I guess," Arnold rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I guess you…" She never looked at him but Arnold could tell her cheeks were bright red. Her brow furrowed as she blew hair out of her face. He continued, "I had a really great time with you that night,"

Helga nodded but didn't look up.

"…And tonight…" Arnold felt heat rising to his own cheeks.

Helga was stunned.

_THIS CAN NOT BE HAPPENING! Oh my love, it's taking everything in my power to restrain myself from unleashing a fury of unbridled passion on your innocent, unsuspecting heart. _

"Helga, I really care about you," Arnold was feeling that adrenaline rush again. "Why did you hide all this stuff? Why don't you act like this all the time?"

Helga sighed, "I don't wanna talk about it,"

"But why?" Arnold pressed.

"Because I just _don't_, okay?" She finally looked at him but this time her eyes reflected annoyance. When Arnold's face fell, her face softened and she whispered, "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay. I just don't understand it. You really confuse me, Helga. One minute you're being nice to me and I really love…" Arnold caught himself and redirected his statement. "…it… but then it's like a switch goes off and you're being mean again,"

"Well, Arnold, I've never been Ms. Perfect-Happy-Sunshine, ya know. It's not who I am. I'm sarcastic and rude and that's just how it is," Helga shrugged.

"But there's more to it than that, isn't there? I know you aren't a girly-girl. I kinda like that about you – that you're different. I'm not talking about that kind of superficial stuff; I mean why do you always act so angry? There's a difference between sarcasm and anger, Helga. You walk around like you hate the world, especially with me…" Arnold frowned at his last statement, fiddling with his thumbs again.

Helga looked up at the sky, taking a deep breath and sighing, "I don't hate you, Arnold…"

"I know you don't. You wouldn't be here with me if you did. You wouldn't have dressed up as Cecile or come to the hospital or any of that if you hated me. I just wanna know why you act the way you do," Arnold made eye contact with her briefly before she looked away again.

"Please tell me," Arnold placed a hand on her forearm and she jumped at the unexpected touch.

"Look, you wouldn't understand," She crossed her arms and the movement knocked Arnold's hand off of her.

"Try me,"

Helga's voice was quiet. "You have a family that loves you, Arnold. Sure they're a bunch of nutjobs but they still care about you. As far back as I can remember, I've felt like I was on my own. Nobody cares what I have to say and no one notices me,"

Arnold scooted closer to her, "I notice you, Helga,"

She could feel the warmth of his breath and it made her heart leap but she didn't dare face him. They were too close.

"I know you don't have a great home life, Helga, but…"

"But nothing!" Helga interrupted. "You don't know the half of it! Do you know how many times I come to school with _napkins_ for lunch? Or how many times Bob calls me _Olga_, despite the fact I try to correct him _all the time_? As far back as I can remember, they have only ever been concerned with her and how _perfect_ she is…" Helga's brow furrowed. "The only time I ever hear my dad get excited over something I'm doing is if it benefits him. And Miriam? She wouldn't notice me if I grew a second head and started rapping to Run DMC thanks to her _'smoothies'_… So no, Arnold, I don't have a great home life, I have a _crappy_ home life," Helga scowled at him before returning her attention to the still pond.

"I'm sorry," Arnold's voice was barely audible as he watched her, trying to think of something to say to make things right.

Helga sighed and leaned forward, picking up a rock and skipping it across the pond. "Forget about it. It's not your fault. You're the only one that's –" Helga stopped.

Arnold's ears pricked up, "That's _what?_"

Helga ventured a look at Arnold's expectant expression and abruptly turned away. "Nothing,"

"No way. What have I done?" Arnold leaned closer to her, his curiosity brimming.

"You're the only one who's ever seemed to care…" Helga's voice was soft and Arnold thought he might have heard it crack but he couldn't be sure.

He was at a loss for words but that was okay because Helga kept talking. "Do you remember preschool?"

Arnold thought for a moment. He remembered fingerpainting, tapping maple trees for sap, learning the alphabet, snacktime… suddenly, an image of a three-year-old Helga popped into his head.

"That's when-"

"- you started being a bully," Arnold finished her sentence and continued. "I remember. I gave you my crackers because Harold took yours and you looked so sad… Then he was making fun of you for some reason and all of a sudden you were yelling and then you jumped on him,"

"Do you remember why he was making fun of me?" Helga asked, looking at Arnold through the corner of her eye as she faced the ground at her feet.

"No, not really. It was a long time ago,"

"Do you remember anything else?"

Arnold thought for a minute, travelling through time in his mind as he searched for those distant memories.

"I think I do…" His face contorted in thought. "I remember getting to Urban Tots and I remember it was raining… I saw you walking down the sidewalk by yourself and you looked really sad. You were soaking wet and covered in mud… I jumped out of the car and put my umbrella over you. I remember I complimented your bow, too."

Helga's brow rose at his impressive recollection. "Wow, you do remember,"

"Yeah… So what about it?"

"Don't you think it's kind of strange that a _three-year-old_ was walking to the first day of school _by herself_ in the _rain_?"

Arnold realized what she was saying and he felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. He never even thought about it that way before. Her parents hadn't even cared enough to take her to school that day.

"I get it," Arnold said quietly.

"You were the first person to notice me… and act like you cared… I just… I wasn't used to that, I guess," Helga wrung her hands together. "I guess that's why you're so… important to me. And when you were in the hospital and we didn't know what was going to happen to you, I-I…" Helga choked but fought back her emotions. "I just… I dunno, we weren't sure if you were going to…" Helga's breathing staggered and she paused to compose herself. "I was just really worried… You mean a lot more to me than you know, Football-head…"

Arnold stared at her. Her eyes glistened and he could tell she was getting emotional, even if she was trying to fight it. He moved in closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulder and turning her head toward him with his other hand. Her eyes met his and he felt his heartbeat quicken as he got lost in her deep blue gaze. Behind her eyes lay a myriad of emotions, depths that he couldn't begin to fathom but he was mesmerized by her enigmatic pull. The air around them was still, quiet, thick. Arnold leaned in closer to her, his eyes half-lidded.

Helga's own heartbeat was racing as she felt like putty in Arnold's hands. She felt dizzy and lost in a sea of exorcised emotions, swirling around her as Arnold drew her nearer.

"Helga!" Phoebe's voice cried out in relief.

Arnold and Helga jumped apart as Phoebe and Gerald appeared with Mrs. Cohen.

Gerald noticed what they'd interrupted and shook his head, muttering something to himself about Arnold never coming out of his lovesick daze.

"_Criminy! _What are you guys _doing_ here?" Helga stood up, hands on her hips.

"Helga, your friends were worried about you and Arnold. What are you two doing out here alone?" Mrs. Cohen spoke.

Arnold stood up from the bench and approached the group. "W-we went to dinner, instead of the dance. And then we just took a walk. What's the problem?"

Phoebe faced Helga, a look of embarrassment on her face as she, too, realized what almost happened. "Helga, I'm _so_ sorry…"

Helga gave her friend a scowl before addressing the group. "Alright, show's over here, folks. We're _fine_." She waved her arms as if she were shooing birds.

"I _told _you…" Gerald whispered to Phoebe as they walked away.

They were alone again, this time feeling sheepish. "So uhh… crazy night…" Helga rubbed her neck, the vivid memory of Arnold's face inches away from her own still fresh in her mind.

"Yeah…" Arnold mimicked her gesture.

Helga looked up in the direction of the moon, now overlaid by clouds. "It's probably pretty late… I should go home,"

Arnold felt his heart sink but before he could do anything to change her mind, she'd already turned and started walking away, his jacket still clinging to her shoulders.


	13. Chapter 13

**[A/N: Forgive me! This chapter's on the short side. We're starting to approach the end of the story so it'll probably be finished in the next few chapters. I hope you guys like this chapter, though!**

**I don't own HA]**

"Helga, wait!"

Arnold jogged to catch up to her. She stopped, letting out a sigh and a shrug, but never turned around.

"Don't go yet…" He entreated, his voice was soft as he put a hand on her shoulder. "We haven't even danced yet,"

Helga raised an eyebrow at him. "Newsflash, Arnoldo: We're alone in a park. There's no music, it's cold-"

"Is one dance really gonna kill you, Helga?" Arnold positioned himself in front of her, taking her hand in his. Helga stared at her hand, enveloped in the warmth of Arnold's, and met his gaze.

_It just might, Football-head… it just might…_

"Alright, fine," Helga feigned an annoyed resignation as Arnold smiled, bringing his hands to her waist as she tentatively reached her arms around his neck. He began to hum a soft melody.

Helga laughed, "What are you _doing_?"

"There isn't any music," Arnold grinned sheepishly. "I thought I'd make some,"

_Oh, my love, how I would love to make beautiful music with you…_

"Whatever floats your boat, Football-head," Helga rolled her eyes but smiled as Arnold led her in a slow, romantic dance.

The air around them was quiet; all that could be heard was the sound of their footsteps in the grass and the rhythmic pulsing of their heartbeats in their ears. Helga's knees felt weak as she took in Arnold's scent. His body heat made her forget about the cold surrounding them. She felt butterflies in her stomach as they slowly moved in circles on the grass. She felt dizzy. Whether that was because of the spinning or because she was with Arnold, she couldn't determine.

"You aren't alone," Arnold whispered into her hair, breaking the silence.

Helga looked up at him, "What are you talking about?"

"You feel like no one understands you. You feel like no one cares and that you're alone because your family doesn't notice you…" Arnold explained, holding her a little tighter.

Helga was bewildered. _How does he _do_ that?_

"…But _I_ notice you…" Arnold sighed, pausing as he decided to bring up a difficult topic of his own. "I don't really talk about it a whole lot. Gerald's the only one I've really talked to about it in detail, but I can kind of relate to… feeling like something's missing at home…"

_Oh man… _

"Don't get me wrong… Grandma and Grandpa are great… but I've always wondered if I'll ever see my parents again. I barely remember them since they left when I was a baby, and all I really have are stories and pictures. Sometimes I wish they had taken me with them… but I don't even really know if I would've wanted that or not. This city is all I've ever known so it's hard to imagine not having Grandpa and Grandma around, the boarders, everyone at school…" Arnold ventured a glance at Helga.

They stopped moving and she looked up at him. He was looking away and Helga could see the pain in his eyes.

Arnold sighed, bringing his arms down and putting them in his pockets. He kicked at a rock that had gotten knocked off the pavement and into the grass.

"And I mean, it's been so long… their plane was never found and we never heard anything. I don't know if they're just lost or if they…" Arnold paused, not wanting to verbalize his worst fears, but Helga understood. "…yeah,"

Helga watched as Arnold seemed to open up in front of her. She definitely hadn't been expecting a moment like this and though she knew more about Arnold's missing parents than he probably was aware, she listened intently.

"I mean, I try to stay positive, ya know? Hoping that eventually they'll come walking through the door. Or that we'll get a phone call… anything, really. I just wish I knew what happened to them, why they didn't come back… I wish I knew _them_," Arnold sat down in the grass and Helga followed. Quietly he added, "I wish they knew _me_," Arnold picked a blade of grass and peeled it into tiny slivers, his face still melancholic.

Helga was unsure of what she should do at this point. She hated seeing Arnold like this. It was such a rarity that, when it happened, you knew it was a big deal. She scooted closer to him and put her arms around him in a hug, her face buried against the side of his head. Arnold's eyes widened as her sudden gesture. "I don't know what to say," she admitted into the back of his neck.

"You don't have to say anything," Arnold pulled her to face him and smiled. "It's nice just having you here… listening,"

Helga moved back to her original position and the two sat in a comfortable but solemn silence. Arnold picked at blades of grass while Helga stared off in the direction of the pond.

"You know, I had a dream the other night," Arnold changed the subject, looking up at her momentarily as he dropped another sliver of grass into the pile forming at his feet.

Helga turned her attention to him, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," He paused. "It was about the accident. Actually, I guess it was a flashback. We were in Jamie-O's car: me, Gerald, and Jamie-O … and Gerald and I were trying to find a CD to put in. He noticed something on my side of the car, through the window, and pointed, 'Jamie-O look out!' I turned around and then all I saw was a bright flash of headlights. I woke up sweating," Arnold paused. "It really freaked me out,"

Helga's heart was in her stomach as she listened to Arnold's recollection. She was amazed at how comfortable she felt sitting in the grass talking to him like this. Somehow in the past few months their relationship had become so much more honest and it felt good, despite their conversation topics.

"It freaked me out, too… your accident," Helga admitted, diverting her gaze. "Honestly, I was afraid you were gonna die…" Helga blurted out but continued in a more heartfelt tone. "When I first saw you, hooked up to all those machines, it was just…" She let out a breath, furrowing her eyebrow at the difficult memory. "It was really hard… I know I don't treat you the way you deserve… and in that moment, I was regretting every mean thing I'd said or done to you. I wanted to take it all back… 'cause I wasted so much time acting like I… like I hated you…" Helga hung her head.

Arnold rolled a sliver of grass into a ball in his hand as he listened to Helga's confession. "I always knew you didn't mean it, Helga. I didn't always know _why_ you were so mean, but I knew there was more to you than that. It was _frustrating_, but I don't want you to think I ever really held it against you," He scooted closer and put an arm around her.

Helga gave a relieved smile and looked up at the moon. The night clouds were quickly rolling by as the moon's light peeked out every minute or so.

"I'm sorry, Arnold," Helga spoke softly, glancing at Arnold before looking down at her feet. She pulled on the hem of her dress in an effort to keep it from riding up too far.

"For what?"

"For everything. I've treated you like crap for _years_ and out of everyone, you probably deserved it the _least_. I just didn't want you to… I couldn't stand the idea of…" Helga faltered and hushed.

Arnold gave her a moment to collect her thoughts but when she didn't continue, he coaxed. "Of what?"

_Of you knowing I love you and finding out you didn't feel the same way…_

"Nothing," Helga said a little too quickly. "Forget I mentioned it,"

Arnold sighed. He had a feeling he knew what she wanted to say and he wished she'd just let it out. But he wouldn't force her.

Arnold stood up. "It's getting late and you look cold,"

Helga hadn't even noticed the goose bumps all over her skin.

"Can I walk you home?" Arnold offered her a hand.

"Yeah, sure," Helga took Arnold's hand and hoisted herself up.

The pair made their way out of the park and away from the picturesque setting.

Arnold's heart was doing leaps as he stole glances at Helga. He felt a special connection with her that he couldn't put into words. Something about her made him feel comfortable, like he could tell her anything and she would understand. He looked down at her hand as it swayed at her side with each pace.

A burst of courage and Arnold took her hand in his. He never said a word when Helga turned abruptly at the touch.

_Oh man… I swear, I'm gonna pass out. I'll never wash this hand again!_

Arnold and Helga's muscles were tense at first, anxiety over the gesture flooding their bloodstreams with lovesick adrenaline. Eventually, their nerves ebbed and they felt more natural. Arnold gently caressed Helga's hand with his thumb, causing her to swoon in her head.

_Oh, my love. If only you knew: with one touch, I'm gone, spiraling down into a restless sea of my forbidden sentiments._

They eventually reached Helga's house and paused at her stoop. Nervousness returned and the two bashfully avoided one another's eye contact.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight," Arnold looked up at Helga, smiling.

"Yeah… I… I had a really good time," She tentatively smiled back, a flurry of butterflies attacking her stomach once again.

A light came on inside Helga's house.

"I should probably go before Bob or Miriam comes out to harass me for being late," Helga rubbed her neck. "I guess I'll see you later?"

Arnold smiled and stepped closer to her. It was then that Helga realized they'd never stopped holding hands. He lifted her hand up, locking eyes with her as he leaned in and gently kissed it.

Arnold's heart was pounding and Helga felt like she couldn't breathe. Heat rushed to their cheeks and they looked down at their feet, laughing nervously.

"Goodnight, Arnold," Helga said in a sweet tone and it reminded Arnold of her good-bye on Valentine's Day two years ago.

Helga wasn't looking where she was going and stumbled up the first step, catching herself and her face immediately reddened with embarrassment. She turned around quickly, giving Arnold a sheepish smile and a laugh before continuing into her house and closing the door behind her.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Helga," Arnold smiled, his half-lidded gaze fixated on her now closed door.


	14. Chapter 14

**[A/N: So it turns out, this is the last chapter! I misjudged the timeline for my story and it seemed to end perfectly this way. I hope you guys like it! I don't know if its as epic as I wanted it to be but it's definitely fluffy :) Thanks for much for supporting me in my writing!]**

The next morning, Arnold was lying in his bed, arms crossed behind his head, gazing up through his sunroof. He watched the clouds roll by and in each one, he saw Helga.

They'd had an amazing night and a lovesick smile was plastered on his face as he ran through his memories. Yet, it still felt incomplete.

His daydreams were interrupted by a phone call from Gerald. He lazily crawled out of his bed and over to the phone on the table by his couch.

"Hello?"

"Hey man!" Gerald's voice was drenched in curiosity. "So, what happened last night with you and Helga? I tried to tell Phoebe that you guys were fine but –"

"It's okay," Arnold sat down on the couch. "Don't worry about it. But yeah, it was…" Arnold's face melted into a dreamy expression. "…incredible…"

"Alright, well _spare_ me the details, my brother. But I take it you told her how you felt? That you _looove _her?" Gerald laughed lightly.

When Arnold hesitated, he took that as a 'no'.

"Aw man, are you _kidding_ me? Wasn't that the whole point?" Gerald slapped a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

"We talked about a lot of other stuff… we just didn't exactly say… certain things,"

"Do you _ever _plan on telling her how you feel?"

"Well, I guess… yeah," Arnold pushed an unruly lock of hair out of his face as he slouched back on the couch. "I'm just not exactly sure what to say… I mean, I know what I _want_ to say but I don't know _how _to say it,"

Gerald thought for a minute before he chuckled, having come up with an idea. "Alright, Arnold. Here's what ya gotta do…"

. . . . . . . .

Helga woke up Saturday morning in the same dress she'd worn the night before. She hadn't cared enough to change into pajamas when she got up to her room and the only item she had shed were her shoes.

She felt peaceful. Last night had been amazing and she was still in a state of disbelief over it, though she'd tried pinching herself numerous times, only to realize she wasn't dreaming.

_Oh Arnold…_

She rolled over to face the window, still snuggled up under her blanket.

_How glorious, how romantic, how perfect a night we shared… So perfect, my heart dare say my deepest desire has come true. And yet, still I hesitate… Oh my love, give me a sign, something concrete, something I can hold on to… _

Helga smiled to herself in the quiet room, her body still electrified with a sense of love-struck abandon.

The phone rang, disturbing Helga's rendezvous on cloud nine and she scowled as she picked up the receiver.

"_Hello_?"

"Hi Helga, it's me,"

Helga sighed, "Hey Pheebs…"

"Helga, I am _so_ sorry about last night! I was just really worried when you and Arnold never showed up at the dance. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important?"

_No, of course not. He was just about to _KISS ME_!_

"Just forget about it, it's fine. The _whole _night wasn't ruined," Helga's amorous glee returned and she couldn't contain the grin that crept onto her face.

Phoebe squealed with excitement, "Tell me what happened!"

Helga recounted the details of her date with Arnold as Phoebe listened intently.

"That sounds… incredible! Helga, I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah, but I –" Helga was about to tell Phoebe that nothing was official between her and Arnold when the line beeped.

"Sorry, Helga. Hold on one moment; that's the other line,"

Phoebe clicked over and Helga waited, twirling the phone cord around her fingers.

How was she supposed to move forward from here? It's not like everything that happened between her and Arnold last night could be undone and they'd sort of left their relationship in a state of limbo. Things wouldn't be the same from this moment forward.

Phoebe clicked back over to Helga's line.

"I'm back! Sorry about that,"

"No worries, I think I'm gonna head downstairs and rummage for some food in this God-forsaken house, though. I'll catch you later, Pheebs,"

"Helga, before you go, are you doing anything tonight?"

Helga raised an eyebrow. "Uhh… not that I know of, why?"

Phoebe was glad Helga couldn't see her expression because her coy grin would give away the idea that Gerald had just put into her head.

"Well, I was thinking we could go to the Coco-Hut and spend time with some of our friends and classmates!"

Ever since the after-school student lounge had started opening on Saturdays, a lot more of PS 118's students had taken a liking to the idea. Between poetry readings, skits and various other performances, the Coco-Hut was a pretty entertaining place to hang out. Plus it _had_ been a while since Helga had sat in on a show, especially after her comedy routine stint.

"Yeah, sure, what the hey - I don't have anything better to do. I'll meet ya there tonight!"

Phoebe giggled to herself as she hung up the phone, hopeful that this plan would potentially make up for interrupting such an important moment the night before.

. . . . . . . .

That evening, Helga and Phoebe sat at a table in the Coco-Hut Lounge, sipping Yahoo sodas and laughing awkwardly after Curly's bizarre interpretive ballet collaboration with Eugene. How he managed to get access to pygmy marmoset, Helga didn't even want to know.

Mr. Simmons, in an effort to foster creativity and encourage students to discover what makes them special, was still serving as host to the Coco-Hut's events.

Stepping onto the stage, he greeted the crowd. Most of their classmates were in attendance, in addition to a number of students in the lower grades whose names Helga had never bothered to learn.

"Good evening, students of PS. 118! I'm so happy to see so many of you here tonight, especially those of you from my former classes…"

. . . . . . . .

Backstage, Gerald was giving Arnold a pep talk.

"You're gonna be _fine_, man! I _know_ you know this song. You sing along to it every time it comes on the radio. Just relax and _focus," _Gerald rubbed Arnold's shoulders as though he were preparing to enter a boxing ring.

"I know, I know," Arnold nodded but the butterflies in his stomach indicated contrary feelings. Every hair on his arms was on end and he felt his stomach clenching as he waited for his cue to walk on stage.

"And now, our very own _Arnold_ will be delighting us with a song of his choosing!"

Arnold gulped and stepped out onto the stage, a bright spotlight blinding him so he could barely see the figures in the crowd.

Mr. Simmons smiled as he handed Arnold the microphone and walked off-stage. Arnold turned to Gerald who gave a thumbs-up sign as the instrumental music, a piano and a guitar, began to play through the speakers. Arnold caught Helga's gaze in the crowd and felt like his heart was in his throat. He took a deep breath, doing his best to calm his nerves as he began to sing.

_"Shadows fill an empty heart  
As love is fading,  
From all the things that we are  
But are not saying.  
Can we see beyond the stars  
And make it to the dawn?"_

Helga stared wide-eyed as Arnold's voice filled the lounge. She looked over at Phoebe who was grinning ear-to-ear, barely hiding her excitement. Dumbstruck, she returned her attention to Arnold.

_"Change the colors of the sky.  
And open up to  
The ways you made me feel alive,  
The ways I loved you.  
For all the things that never died,  
To make it through the night,  
Love will find you."_

Eye contact.

_Did he just make eye contact on that last part? _Helga screamed at herself in her head. Her heart felt like it was spinning out of control as she watched Arnold's anxiety melt away. He became more fluid, more natural, and she felt like he was singing to _her_.

_"What about now?  
What about today?  
What if you're making me all that I was meant to be?  
What if our love never went away?  
What if it's lost behind words we could never find?  
Baby, before it's too late,  
What about now?_

_The sun is breaking in your eyes  
To start a new day.  
This broken heart can still survive  
With a touch of your grace.  
Shadows fade into the light.  
I am by your side,  
Where love will find you."_

_That was _definitely_ eye contact! _Helga leaned against the table, holding her face in her hands as she tried to hide her reddening cheeks.

As Arnold sang the chorus once again, he found himself staring directly at Helga. With the spotlight shining on him, it was easy for forget that there were so many other people in the room. His focus was on Helga and frankly, that was all that concerned him in that moment.

"I think he's singing to _you,_ Helga," Phoebe elbowed Helga in the ribs and giggled.

Arnold's eyes remained locked with Helga's and her heart skipped a beat as he approached the end of the song. His gaze was focused and his gestures became more expressive, as though he were having a conversation. Helga felt frozen in place and wondered if she'd even blinked in the past few minutes.

_"Now that we're here,  
Now that we've come this far,  
Just hold on.  
There is nothing to fear,  
For I am right beside you.  
For all my life,  
I am yours._

_What about now?  
What about today?  
What if you're making me all that I was meant to be?  
What if our love never went away?  
What if it's lost behind words we could never find?  
Baby before it's too late,  
what about now?"_

As the last note left the speakers, Arnold's movements slowed, his gaze still latched onto Helga's. He shook his head and returned the microphone to its stand before hopping off the stage and approaching Helga's table.

"Thank you, Arnold. That was –" Mr. Simmons had come out on stage to introduce the next performer but stopped when he realized the show didn't seem to be over quite yet.

Helga stared at Arnold, incredulous, as he stood before her, eyeing his shoes nervously.

"What did you think?" He looked up, rubbing his neck bashfully.

Helga realized her jaw had been agape and closed it, searching for words that never came.

"I…" Arnold began, pondering his own words carefully. "I wanted to let you know… how _I _feel…"

Helga cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance with a shaky voice. "Oh…yeah? Uhh, how is that?"

Arnold took a deep breath and squelched his nervousness before quickly leaning in close to Helga, leaving a gentle kiss on her lips.

Helga swooned. Her eyelids fluttered as she closed them, embracing the welcome warmth of his lips on hers. He lifted a hand up and rested it softly on her cheek as he pulled away, smiling and blushing profusely.

"_Oooooooooooo!" _Came an obnoxious, mocking chorus from the crowd.

Helga looked around, scowling and clenching her fists but Arnold put his hands over hers.

"Don't listen to them, Helga. It's okay,"

She looked back up at Arnold standing in front of her and instantly her heart melted all over again. He whispered something in her ear before taking her hand and leading her out into the hallway.

Helga's heart pounded as she waited for Arnold to initiate their next move. He pulled her over to a row of lockers and they sat down on the linoleum.

"Helga I –"

"Arnold, I love you," Helga blurted out, immediately turning away the second the last syllable left her lips. Arnold grinned.

"I know," He fidgeted with his hands as he began to ramble. "I… you… I've been trying for a long time to figure out how to tell you what I was feeling and that's why I asked you to go out with me yesterday and then I didn't get to tell you and so I got _this_ idea and…"

"_Criminy, _Football-head!" Helga's voice was full of attitude, catching Arnold's attention. His shocked eyes looked up only to see her face softening into a smile. "_Shut up_,"

And with that she leaned in, grabbing his head as she brought her lips to his once again in a passionate kiss. Arnold's body froze in surprise at first but he quickly relaxed and reciprocated, dizzy with infatuation.

They finally released one another and Helga sighed dreamily, laying her head on Arnold's shoulder. His arms found their way around her in a warm embrace and she relaxed into him.

Arnold rested his own head against Helga's. Her hair felt soft against his cheeks and he couldn't help but feel amazed at this girl who, not so long ago, had done everything in her power to make his life a living nightmare. He always knew there was more to her, at least subconsciously. Helga was a tumultuous yet profound body of water, sometimes calm and steady at the surface, but with depths invisible to the casual observer. With every answer he managed to get from her, more questions developed and he only wanted to know more about this girl. He'd known her for almost his whole life but still he felt like he'd only begun to chip away at the iceberg, unaware of the facets of her being that dwelled beneath the surface, undetected.

Memories flashed through his head, each one revealing to him more so the subtle depths of their relationship. Every affectionate or heartfelt interaction that he'd brushed off in the past now brought a tranquil smile to his face. He knew he would cherish every moment he had with her because she meant more to him than he was even capable of understanding.

"Helga?" Arnold played with the end of one of her pigtails.

"Yeah?"

Arnold tilted her chin up to face him, "You're unforgettable,"

**[A/N: The song in this chapter is "What about now" by Daughtry.**

**Thanks again to everyone who's been reviewing, favoriting, and following my story! I have plenty of ideas that I'm excited to flesh out once I get a break from school :) ]  
**


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